Recovering addict Tatum O’Neal was arrested on Sunday in New York City for buying crack and cocaine. The former child star is blaming her “almost” relapse on the death of her 16-year-old Scottish terrier.
At her arraignment on Monday she told the New York Post:
There is no excuse for what I did. I lost my Scottish terrier, Lena. That seemed to set me off. She got old. She got cancer. She was the fabric of our family. We had to let her go to heaven. My daughter and I had to put her down. It was too horrible for words.”
I couldn’t get out of it, I was going to my psychiatrist. I was doing everything I could do. I have the disease of alcoholism. It’s lifelong. I treat it every day by going to my 12-step program.”
The death of her dog evidently brought up many issues from her past, including the estrangement from her father actor Ryan O’Neal. Her mother passed away from addiction in 1998. Feeling alone can cause havoc on the mind.
To add some salt to her wounds, Tatum recently ended her relationship with her architect boyfriend, Ron Castellano. Needing a ride home from court yesterday, Castellano came to her rescue. She said, “He’s a saint.”
Well, it sounds like she has seen the light. She is reportedly thankful that the police arrested “rescued” her before she was able to relapse. The actress is excited that she will still be able to receive her 1 year of sobriety medallion on July 10.
I’m still sober! Just when I was about to change that and wreck my life, the cops came and saved me! I’m eternally grateful. As grim as the situation was, I didn’t get to do what my disease was telling me to do.”
While not being one to doubt anyone’s sobriety – great thinking on her part to make the police her saviors. Good luck Tatum, with you continued battle in recovery.