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Tommy was raised in New York\\u2019s Staten Island.\\xa0 He was eleven years old when his father gave him his first drink, declaring Tommy to \\u201cbe a man, now.\\u201d\\xa0 But his regular drinking started age 13 with friends.\\xa0 His mother beat him when he came home drunk.\\xa0 Tommy\\u2019s drinking continued though his teenage years, dropping out of school by age 16 and working for a living.\\xa0 His job allowed him to save money each week in order to go out drinking.\\xa0 But his drinking took up too much of his time and he soon lost his job and Tommy wound up homeless.\\xa0 Attempts to get into a better job, including the New York City police department, where all thwarted by alcohol.