E163: Saving Ellen: A Story of Family, Sobriety, and Survival: Guest Maura Casey

Maura Casey, an award-winning journalist with a four-decade career writing opinion for major newspapers—including The New York Times—joins us to share her powerful story of survival, sobriety, and healing from growing up in an alcoholic home. The first in her family to get sober, Maura has maintained her sobriety for 39 years, despite the chaos of her father’s drinking and the deep impact of her sister Ellen’s life-threatening illness.

In this episode, Maura discusses her upcoming book, Saving Ellen: A Memoir of Hope and Recovery (Skyhorse Publishing, April 1, 2025), which details her family’s journey through her sister Ellen’s kidney disease, her mother’s determination to donate a kidney in the 1960s, and the immense stress that came with her father’s alcoholism. She shares how Ellen was one of only two living donor transplants in Buffalo that year due to the lack of advanced medical technology, and how she conducted in-depth research, speaking with Ellen’s doctor, Mary Hawking, and her mother’s friends, to piece together this powerful story.

Beyond the family’s struggles, Maura’s memoir also explores broader family dynamics, the challenges of setting boundaries with loved ones who threaten sobriety, and her personal journey of healing. She reflects on the resilience it took to break free from dysfunction and the hope that recovery offers. If we’re on camera, she’ll even show us the stacks of diaries she used to write her memoir!

Connect with Maura Casey:

🔹 Website: www.caseyink.com

🔹 Substack: Casey’s Catch

🔹 Bluesky: @mauracasey.bsky.social

Check out her new book here: https://www.amazon.com/Saving-Ellen-Memoir-Hope-Recovery/dp/1510780777

Tune in for a heartfelt and inspiring conversation about breaking free from dysfunction, reclaiming your life, and finding hope in sobriety.

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