Dennis Quaid isn’t taking advantage of his second chance at life, and he’s not ashamed to talk openly about his struggles with addiction and the path to recovery.
When he battled anorexia nervosa and lost 40 pounds to play the tuberculosis-stricken Doc Holliday in Wyatt Earp in 1990, he was already more than ten years into his career. At the same time, he checked himself into a rehab facility to address his serious cocaine addiction.
In a recent People cover story, he said, “I remember going home and having kind of a white light experience [where] I saw myself either dead or in jail or losing everything I had, and I didn’t want that.”.
He continued, “We’re all looking for the joy of life, and drugs, alcohol, and whatever else it is for anyone give that to you really quickly. Then they’re fun, and then they’re fun with problems, and then they’re just problems after a while. “.
Dennis, a Texas native who grew up going to a Baptist church, claims that getting back in touch with his Christian faith set him free from a lifetime of drug problems.
He spoke of getting back in touch with his spirituality, saying, “When you’re done with the addiction, you need something to fill that hole, something that really works, right?”.
He wrote “On My Way To Heaven,” a religious song, for his mother Juanita the year he entered rehab, also known as “cocaine school,” in an effort to “let her know I was okay because I wasn’t okay before then. “.
He continued, “I didn’t have one before that, even though I was raised as a Christian.
That’s when I started developing a personal relationship. “.
The Parent Trap actor continued, talking about his upcoming album, Fallen: A Gospel Record For Sinners, “I grew up at the Baptist church; I love the hymns that I remember from being a kid.
Instead of being overtly religious, the songs are introspective and expository. We all have a relationship with God, he said, whether or not you’re a Christian.
He currently juggles being a father, his acting and music careers, and his religious observance.
He wed Laura Savoie, 30, in 2020.
He also has twins Thomas and Zoe, 15, with his ex Kimberly Buffington, Jack Quaid, 31, an actor with a role in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, and a son with his former Meg Ryan.
He declared, “I’m happier than I’ve ever been. I’m grateful to be here, and I’m grateful to be alive every day. “.
Because there are many obstacles and things to overcome, it’s crucial to fully appreciate your life’s journey. “.
