My heart goes out to him. I've witnessed this happening in my former home group. People seem to shun the person who relapsed and returned, as if relapse is a disease they can catch.
I give this man a lot of credit. Walking thru the AA door after a relapse is a lot harder than walking thru the AA door as a newcomer and takes a lot of courage. Think of all the ones who don't make it back. I'd be glad to see he made it back.
It is a cunning, baffling, insidious disease.
With that all being said, what exactly did you mean that he was the "poster boy"? Was his recovery being controlled by his ego, or was he truly recovered? In my home group all the recovered folks are one of the same. No one's better than or less then. You're either recovered or you're working on it.
I do not trust those with "spiritual egos" I've seen in other meetings.