Overview
- Lucie Arnaz told CBS Sunday Morning that her proudest memory was watching her father stand in a La Jolla AA meeting and declare, “My name is Desi and I’m an alcoholic.”
- She said Desi Arnaz’s commitment to recovery deepened after his second wife Edie Hirsch’s death in 1985 and was influenced by his son Desi Arnaz Jr.’s earlier treatment.
- Arnaz entered the Scripps McDonald Center under the alias “Bill Sanchez” in 1985 to protect his privacy during alcohol rehabilitation.
- Shortly after embracing sobriety efforts, he was diagnosed with lung cancer and died in 1986 at the age of 69.
- Her reflections coincide with the release of Todd S. Purdum’s biography, Desi Arnaz: The Man Who Invented Television, which explores his personal struggles and career legacy.