In a candid revelation, Patricia Heaton shared that a pivotal conversation with her son compelled her to make the life-altering decision to quit drinking.
Speaking to Woman’s World, the 68-year-old actress reflected on a critical period just before the pandemic when her children had flown the nest, and work had come to a halt. “The anchors in my life—my family and my job—were no longer there,” Heaton confessed during the interview released on Wednesday.
Faced with this void, Heaton began questioning her daily routine, pondering, “What should I do with my time now?”
The Emmy-winning star detailed how a seemingly innocent glass of wine while cooking soon escalated into a routine: wine during dinner, as she tidied up, and even while unwinding to “Wheel of Fortune” and “Jeopardy!”
Acknowledging her changing patterns, Heaton stated, “As an actor, I’m trained to observe behavior. I recognized my own shift towards alcohol, realizing my perspective had drifted significantly.”
The Emmy winner recalled reaching out to a higher power. “‘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,’” she said, recounting a prayer.
Heaton’s answer, she recalled, came swiftly in a confrontation with her youngest son that “mortified” her.
“I was with my sons and their friends, and I couldn’t pronounce the word ‘tradition,’” Heaton divulged. “I tried three times. My youngest son said, ‘That’s great, mom. You can’t even speak.’”
The sitcom star — who shares sons Samuel, John, Joseph and Daniel with longtime husband David Hunt — said she went back to God to acknowledge the message.
“The next morning I said, ‘OK, God. Message received,’” she told the outlet. “That was eight years ago.”
Heaton then channeled her sobriety into a business venture with Hunt, creating non-alcoholic, California grape wines under the brand name Solubrae.
The celebrated TV actress has spoken out about her sobriety journey before. In a 2021 social media upload, she shared with followers that she was celebrating three years of “freedom from alcohol.”
“It’s July when we celebrate our nation’s freedom. Also celebrating three years of freedom from alcohol for me,” she said in a clip as she took a brisk walk around a reservoir.
“So, just wanted to share that with you,” she added. “And 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. Have a great day.”