Picture of jimmy kinnon biography

James Patrick Kinnon (5 April – 9 July ), commonly known as Jimmy Kinnon or "Jimmy K.", was one of the primary founders of Narcotics Anonymous (NA), a worldwide fellowship of recovering addicts.

Picture of jimmy kinnon biography

During his lifetime, he was usually referred to as "Jimmy K." due to NA's principle of personal anonymity on the public level. He never referred to himself as a founder of NA, although the record clearly shows that he played a founding role.

Early life

Kinnon was born in Paisley, Scotland on 5 April , the first of seven children born to James Kinnon, of Irish Catholic descent, and Elizabeth Carrick.

When Kinnon was 7, he befriended a local alcoholic whom he referred to as Mr.

Crookshank. One day he found Crookshank badly beaten up and unresponsive. Kinnon ran for help. Over the following weeks Kinnon did not see Mr. Crookshank, and after numerous inquiries, his mother took him to see him. They went to an institution of which Mr.

Crookshank was now a resi