Possibly THE biggest non issue in and out of AA is Bill asking for a drink on his deathbed..... I should add, to me it is a big non issue.
Ymmv
Look at the legacy he left. He was like Jesus for alcoholics. Complete with prophets who came before him and disciples that followed his words afterwards and many who still do.
Jesus felt somewhat like he wasn't "walking in the sunlight of the spirit" after it took a while for him to die on the cross.
"why hast thou forsaken me"
"God I could use a whisky" ( I dunno what he actually said of course)
Seems like the same kind of thing to me.