JIMMY'S STORY - PAISLEY, SCOTLAND

Jimmy Patrick Kinnon is considered by many to be the founder of

Narcotics Anonymous. He was one of the original seventeen who attended

the very first N.A. recovery meeting as well as the preceding planning

meetings in 1953. He spent the next three decades of his life in dedicated

service to the fellowship. When N.A. died briefly in 1959, it was Jimmy

who took a leadership role and restarted meetings. He opened the doors and

made the coffee. According to his obituary, "he lived in near poverty,"

fitting his devotion to the fellowship.

This chapter covers the birth of the fellowship of Narcotics

Anonymous, the early struggles and the building of our foundation. It will

become clear that Jimmy K. was in every aspect the founder of the

California movement, though others may recognize him only as "one of

many significant contributors." This characterization is also very valid.

Jimmy himself recognized that "there are no big shots in N.A."

Jimmy was born April 5, 1911, in Paisley, Scotland, and spent his

early years in this small town known for colorful wildflowers, museums,

and plentiful theatres. During our research, we had the opportunity to

interview his widow Betty K., and she told us about one of his childhood

experiences that clearly played a role in the development of the fellowship

later in his life.

Jimmy was outgoing as a child. He even counted the town drunk,

Crookshank, among his friends. Crookshank also befriended Jimmy. Jimmy

would find him sick and injured as Crookshank got into fights from time to

time. On one particular occasion, Jimmy found his friend badly beaten and

bleeding. Jimmy went for help.

Jimmy wanted to know when his friend was coming back; his

mother kept repeating "next week." He was unrelenting, so his mother took

him to visit his friend. Jimmy found Crookshank in a wheelchair, incoherent

and despondent. Once their visit concluded, Jimmy was quiet and subdued;

his mother asked what was wrong. His response was prophetic. "When I

grow up, I'm going to help people like Mr. Crookshank." As we know

today, Jimmy's prophecy came true.

His family decided to move to the United States in the 1920's.

Upon their arrival at Ellis Island, he was separated from his parents when

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they were sequestered for medical reasons. A family from Germany

watched him until his parents were cleared; they were obviously worried

and unsure about their own disposition as political refugees. If the Germans

were not admitted, they would be sent back and most likely, they would be

put to death. Once his parents were cleared, Jimmy left, never to know what

happened to his newfound friends.

First, Jimmy and his parents went to New York City, and then onto

Philadelphia, where they settled. Jimmy was a fighter, both literally and

figuratively during these years. He enrolled in a private school with hopes

of eventually entering the priesthood, but it was a half-hearted goal. This

began a period of alcohol use, and he began using other drugs as his

addiction developed over the next twenty years.

While in his thirties, Jimmy moved to California and finally put

down roots in Sun Valley, a small town in the San Fernando Valley

bordering Lockheed Airport, which was later renamed the Burbank Airport.

He became a roofer and painter, married and had six children, all the while

continuing to use.

A series of arrests led Jimmy to confront some of his problems,

and he was able to begin his recovery. Jimmy found his way to Alcoholics

Anonymous in North Hollywood, California. On February 2, 1950, he

began a 35-year journey. It was not long before he would find others whose

addictions involved drugs other than alcohol.

In 1950, Jimmy was introduced through friends in A.A. to Betty

T.,who invited him to attend a Habit Forming Drugs (HFD) meeting. HFD

meetings were held in private homes. Jimmy K. attended a few meetings

but left disappointed. "These meetings were hidden; a few people meeting

in apartments. They had no formal meetings or plans to do so." These

groups did, however, create a place for addicts to share apart from A.A.

meetings. This alone was significant, since addicts were not typically

accepted in the "A.A. inner circle" if they spoke about their identification as

an addict.

During the next year, he had what he described as a spiritual

awakening. He suddenly knew that everything was going to be all right, and

that ifhe wouldjust follow directionsaccording to his own conscience, things

would work out. He felt that he had made contact with some inner part of

himself and the entire universe, and he identified that as his Higher Power. It

was undoubtedly this particular experience and his single-minded

determinationto makeN.A. succeedthat sustainedhimfromthe '50s to the '70s.

Birth Of A Fellowship

39

The Key, and decided to contact them; he spoke with

none other than Danny Carlsen. It is not clear whether this was the only

communication or if others occurred later. Betty shared that Jimmy was

offended with Danny's personal request for a donation to their struggling

organization. The New Yorkers had sought and received plenty of publicity

as published photos relinquished their anonymity. They were accepting

monies from outside sources, allowed professionals to speak at their

meetings, and appointed their own chaplain. Jimmy had already been

schooled in the newly accepted Twelve Traditions; therefore, he was aware

the New Yorkers would most likely not succeed.

"They were no more than a social service organization than a fellowship,

Jimmy K.

There are several variations as to how the initial meetings came to

fruition, though the most reliable and accepted version indicates they took

place at the insistence of either a Los Angeles County probation officer or

police department representative (specifically the Narcotics Division). They

knew something needed to be done to help addicts. Jack P., an alcoholic

who knew little about addiction to other drugs, was asked to help by the

official. His affiliation with the A.A. Institutional committee is the most

likely reason he was involved in the initial formation of a group for addicts.

The first meeting was held in the summer of 1953.

In July, a group of addicts began serious discussions about forming

this new group. Cy M., an early member, attended the first two meetings

and Jimmy attended the third meeting of what can best be described as

informal planning meetings.

Finally, on August 17, 1953 a groundbreaking meeting was held at

the home of Frank and Doris C. in Burbank, who were both friends of

Jimmy. The purpose of this meeting was to formally create a program for

addicts. The result: Narcotics Anonymous, as we know it today. Jimmy

would later speak about this meeting while sharing at the 20th anniversary

dinner in 1973:

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