Dennis Quaid doesn’t take his second chance at life for granted and isn’t 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 magazine 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, who grew up going to a Baptist church in Houston, Texas, says that getting back in touch with his Christian roots helped him overcome a lifetime of drug addiction.
He spoke of getting back in touch with his spirituality: “When you’re done with the addiction, you need something to fill that hole, something that really works, right?”.
In an effort to “let her know I was okay because I wasn’t okay before then,” he wrote “On My Way To Heaven,” a faith-based song, for his mother Juanita the year he entered rehab, or “cocaine school.”. “.
He added, “Before that, I didn’t have one, even though I grew up as a Christian.
That’s when I started developing a personal relationship.
“.
The Parent Trap actor went on to say, “I grew up at the Baptist church; I love the hymns that I remember from being a kid,” in reference to his upcoming album, Fallen: A Gospel Record For Sinners.
Instead of being overtly religious, the songs are self-examinative and reflective. We all have a relationship with God, he said, whether or not you’re a Christian.
He now strikes a balance between his acting and music careers, his devotion to his faith, and his role as a father. 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 difficulties in life, it’s crucial to truly enjoy the journey as much as you can. “.
