I grew up in a relatively small, rural town in southeastern Connecticut. We had a "town drunk" that everyone knew. He was in his mid-late 80s. He had no car, and he walked everywhere. Everyone knew his name. Every single day he would walk from his house to the liquor store. Probably over 5-8 miles each way at least. Even in the winter. He was constantly offered rides by people in town which he would turn down... even in the worst weather.

One year, sadly, he got some kind of injury - I can't remember what... frostbite or an amputation or something? Regardless, he couldn't walk anymore, was stuck at home, and presumably didn't have his alcohol.

He died pretty immediately after coming home from the hospital. I don't know for sure, but the rumor at the time was that it wasn't directly related to his injury.