Rob Lowe took to Instagram on Wednesday to celebrate his 33rd year sober.
Lowe, 59, posted a selfie of himself swimming in the ocean amid what appeared to be a picturesque sunset.
The Charlottesville, Virginia resident captioned the image: “33 years ago today, I found recovery and a tribe that has supported me on my incredible, rewarding journey.
“My life is full of love, family, God, opportunity, friends, work, dogs and fun.”
He went on to offer advice to his followers, saying, “If you or someone you know is struggling with any form of addiction, hope and joy await you if you want it and are willing to work for it!”
The latest: Rob Lowe, 59, took to Instagram on Wednesday to celebrate his 33rd year sober, posting a selfie of him swimming in the ocean amid what looked like a picturesque sunset
The 9-1-1: Lone Star actor received a number of comments to the post, including from his son John Owen, who said, “Proud of your recovery, feeling the opposite about this selfie.”
One follower said, “I celebrated 30 years a week ago. It’s still the best decision I’ve ever made… I wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t gotten sober.”
Another added: ’33 years, that’s great. I’m at 2 and a half years and I thought that was good,” while one user said Lowe’s story was inspiring.
“I still have hope for my 25-year-old son,” the user said. “Seeing these stories keeps me going.”
Lowe presented his son John Owen Lowe with a five-year sobriety chip on The Drew Barrymore Show last month.
The emotional exchange took place during a discussion about staying sober, a feat accomplished by both father and son and host Barrymore.
Barrymore, 48, praised Lowe’s family for supporting ‘each other through great things’, adding that she spoke candidly about her previous battles with alcohol abuse with her daughters Olive, 10, and Frankie, eight.
Said the talk show host, “I’ve been very honest with my kids who are younger, but they know my story, they know I can’t drink, it’s not for me, it’s not working for me.” They know my pitfalls and you are an incredible family unit that supports each other through all the highs and lows.”
Lowe said: ‘My life is full of love, family, God, opportunity, friends, work, dogs and fun’
The actor has been busy lately, as he took to the streets with WGA picketers last week in support of the writers’ strike
Lowe was pictured on court last week during a playoff game of the Los Angeles Lakers against the Golden State Warriors
Lowe presented his son John Owen Lowe with a five-year sobriety chip on The Drew Barrymore Show last month
Rob confirmed that they do and that they can share “recovery data” with each other.
“I have 33 years in recovery,” Rob said. “Johnny has five years and in fact Johnny’s five year old birthday was Saturday and, Johnny, I want to give you your five year chip.”
He then pulled out the chip and presented it to 28-year-old John Owen, telling his son, “I love you, I’m proud of you, buddy.”
John Owen and his father hugged, and the son said to his father, “That’s so sweet. Speechless. I usually have a witty answer, I don’t have one for that. That was very nice of you.’
The elder Lowe has long been outspoken about his battle with substance abuse after breaking into Hollywood in the 1980s with films like St. Elmo’s Fire and The Outsiders.
While promoting his series 9-1-1: Lone Star during the Television Critics Association’s winter press tour in early 2020, he noted how Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler encouraged him to stay focused on the task at hand.
“I’m sober 20, been at it for 30 years. When I first got sober, I thought, “My life is over. The fun is over. And I’m not going to be cool anymore,” Lowe said.
He continued, “I came home, I was sober for maybe two or three weeks, and I got a call from Steven Tyler, who I didn’t know. He called me and he said, “I heard you’re recovering and I just want to say, hey, it’s going to be great.”‘
Barrymore, 48, said she spoke candidly about her previous battles with alcohol abuse with her daughters Olive, 10, and Frankie, eight
After receiving the sobriety chip, John Owen said, “That’s so sweet. Speechless. I usually have a witty answer, I don’t have one for that. That was very nice of you’
The emotional exchange took place during a discussion about staying sober, a feat accomplished by both Lowes and host Barrymore
Lowe said he thought “if it’s good enough for f**king Steven Tyler, it’s good enough for me,” adding, “He’s a big part of who I’ve become.”
Speak together with his father in a chat with Men’s health last month, John Owen said he nearly died “many times” as a result of substance abuse.
“I really loved pushing the limits of my body and numbing it out as much as possible,” said John Owen. “There is a certain amount of self-doubt or an uneasy feeling about yourself.
‘The more insecure I became, the more aggressively I started taking medication. I have been to many hospitals many times. I’ve been very lucky.’
John Owen shared how his parents Lowe and Sheryl Berkoff dealt with him in his “lowest points” of addiction.
“My parents threw their lifeline of recovery at me in a way that made me think, ‘Ahhh, get out!’ It’s abrasive,” he said. “It’s like I was drowning and they hit me on the head with the life raft. Because I felt like I didn’t matter, and a lot of that came from having the dad I had.
“Once I was treated as if my voice and opinion were valid, I was able to access a part of me that was scared and hiding. What finally worked was when they said, “We love you and we’re scared.”