Patricia Heaton has revealed that a candid comment from her youngest son was the catalyst for her sobriety, a journey she began eight years ago.
In a recent interview with Woman's World, the actress, 68, described a period before the pandemic when her children had left home and she was not working. This shift left her feeling adrift, and she found herself increasingly turning to alcohol.
"A glass of wine while cooking became wine with dinner, wine while cleaning up and wine while watching ‘Wheel of Fortune’ and ‘Jeopardy!'" Heaton recounted. She noted that her relationship with alcohol began to change, stating, "As an actor, you study behavior. I noticed my own behavior changing. I was thinking about alcohol differently."
Heaton recalled a prayer she made to a higher power, saying, "‘God, I think You want me to stop drinking. I would be willing to stop, but you have to make it happen because I can’t. I’m willing, but I’m unable.'"
The "Everybody Loves Raymond" star described a moment with her sons and their friends where she struggled to pronounce the word "tradition." After attempting it three times, her youngest son remarked, "‘That’s great, mom. You can’t even speak.'"
This comment "mortified" Heaton, and she took it as a divine message. "The next morning I said, ‘OK, God. Message received,'" she told the outlet, marking the beginning of her sobriety.
Following her decision to stop drinking, Heaton collaborated with her husband, David Hunt, to create Solubrae, a brand of non-alcoholic grape wines.
Heaton has previously shared her sobriety milestones, including a 2021 social media post where she celebrated three years of being "freedom from alcohol." She offered encouragement to others considering sobriety, stating, "message me if any of you are thinking about doing that, any of you are doing that now and need some encouragement or anything at all."