Rascal Flatts’ guitarist and singer Joe Don Rooney provides a hopeful update. He recently revealed he’s 28 months sober.
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Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Rooney celebrated his recovery, citing the Alcoholics Anonymous motto, “One day at a time.”
“I’m having a wonderful morning and I think today is going to be a great day,” Rooney wrote. “That’s the AA way. And not only for alcoholics like myself – but the steps and the guard rails of the AA way, can be beneficial to anyone seeking to live a more spirit-filled, God lead life. I’m living for today – today is all I really have. The past and the future are merely fantasy to me, they’re not even real. So, I’m gonna try and have conscious contact with God’s light, love, and grace as much as my finite brain can today – and I’m gonna live for this 24 hours with all I have.”
Rooney is thankful for the progress he’s made and is looking optimistically towards the future. Rooney has taken a step back from the public eye in recent years. In 2021, police arrested the musician and charged him with a DUI after Rooney crashed his car. Rooney’s legal trouble occurred during a divorce and personal turmoil.
Rascal Flatts’ Joe Don Rooney Talks Recovery
He ended up pleading guilty and spending four months in rehab. In a separate post, Rooney admitted his addiction took a toll on his marriage. He wrote, “I was not a good father — I was not a good husband — and I was not a good bandmate to my business partners … I probably would’ve never taken responsibility for any of this if it hadn’t been for my car wreck on Sep 9, 2021.”
He also revealed he has been sober for 28 months now. In the post, Rooney addressed rumors that had popped up online in his absence. The musician took the opportunity to set the record straight.
He wrote, “First off, I am alive! There have been so many rumors and opinions thrown around about me – but I’m finally healthy and ready for the world. And NO, I’m not transitioning to be a woman. That thought has never entered my mind. Nothing against the trans community whatsoever but I needed to set the record straight.”
Rooney concluded, “I was completely out of control and finished with trying to fight the fears, depression and anxieties that had spun me out in a way I’ve never experienced before.”
[Photo by Bryan Steffy/Getty Images for GolinHarris]
