Syd Meidell of Harrison started drinking when she was a teenager, and after years of drinking heavily, she finally gave up alcohol in 2004. Since then, Meidell has been living a much happier life – a life that includes serving as an EMT, a school board vice president, and a country tourism board member. She’s also having a blast owning and operating the historic Harrison House Hotel.
JEFF FIELDER Editor
HARRISON – As a youngster growing up in Chadron, Syd Meidell said she was a shy, quiet kid who didn’t draw a lot of attention from other students.
“I kind of felt like the 12-year-old who never got asked to the dance – at any social gatherings,” she said. “I didn’t like feeling that way.”
So, to try to fit in a little better, Meidell started drinking alcohol. Not a lot, but enough to make her feel better about herself.
“Drinking alcohol made me feel more confident,” she said. “It just seemed to make things better for me.”
Gradually, Meidell’s drinking increased, even after she graduated from Chadron High School in 1984. At some point in her 20s, Meidell’s consumption of alcohol wasn’t about just having a good time or fitting in with other people. Her body craved alcohol – to the point where she felt like drinking was a necessary habit.
“There’s a point with alcoholism where it’s not the psychological part anymore,” she said. “Eventually, your body changes, and you need that alcohol. So, it got to the point where to start my day, I would drink.”
