I Drank a Liter & a Half Of Vodka Every Night & Still Told Myself I Didn't Have A Problem

Rise Above with Kevin Lanning · Jun 13, 2026 · 1h 17m

Matthew Polimeno was six years old when he climbed into his mother's bed and woke up next to her body. She had gotten sober through AA. Then a car accident led to an OxyContin prescription. And then she was gone.

Growing up without her Matthew watched his father hold everything together while carrying a grief nobody talked about. He went to AA meetings as a kid without understanding why. And then at 16 he had his first drink — and immediately understood exactly what his mother had been chasing.

By his worst stretch Matthew was drinking a liter and a half of vodka every single night. Shaking…