Standing by his side. Kristen Bell has been “nothing but supportive” of husband Dax Shepard following his reveal that he relapsed during his 16-year sobriety journey, a source says exclusively in the new issue of Us Weekly.
“Dax chose to keep this a secret from Kristen because he felt so ashamed at the time and didn’t want to hurt her,” the insider tells Us. “They have such a strong marriage and have always been there for each other through thick and through thin.”
The Parenthood alum, 45, knew his reveal “would be devastating” to the Good Place alum, 40, so he had tried to handle it alone first.
“Eventually, he couldn’t hide it from her any longer and he had to come clean. She was nothing but supportive and there’s no blame or anger on her side – just love, care and determination to get through this together,” the source continues. “Her heart aches for Dax after what he went through with his dad, and she’s beyond proud of him for turning his life around whilst openly addressing his demons head-on.”
The Spin the Wheel host, who shares daughters Lincoln, 7, and Delta, 5, with Bell, revealed he relapsed during the Friday, September 25, episode of his “Armchair Expert” podcast. During the episode, he said he was seven days sober after multiple different incidents — including a motorcycle accident last month — led him to misuse painkillers.
He also called his 16th sobriety birthday celebration last month “the worse hour of my life” during the episode. “I was high at the meeting having people tell me they admire my sobriety.”
Following the reveal, the Ranch alum feels “beyond grateful” that his wife is standing by him through it all.
“They’re both fully confident everything will be OK, but they’re taking nothing for granted,” the source tells Us. “Dax knows there will be hurdles and difficulties ahead. Thankfully he’s a guy blessed with incredible courage, a strong sense of focus and his dream soulmate to count on 24/7. He’s working the steps and feels nothing but grateful – especially if he can be a voice to help others and ultimately save lives.”
For more, watch the video above and pick up the latest issue on newsstands now.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
