My mother has a best friend who's husband was a really bad alcoholic. He drank for many many moons. I think up until he was around 60 and Mary went to church faithfully and prayed for her husband. One day her husband decided to go and low and behold he accepted Christ into his heart and from that day forward he lead a sober and happy life. His funeral was one of the biggest I had ever been to. Everyone had kinds words to speak about him. Though he had 15 or so years of sobriety it was well worth the wait. He became a peacher. So it can happen and it can have a happy ending.