Remembering the Stars Who Have Died Since Appearing on ‘Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew’

Since the VH1 reality show’s 2008 debut, twelve of its alumni have passed away.

Celebrity Rehab was founded by Dr. Drew Pinsky to counter the tabloids’ depiction of addiction, according to a 2009 New York Times article on the set of the show. Pinsky, 65, was first opposed to the concept of receiving treatment on television. Following the premiere of the first season of the show, the addiction medicine expert told PEOPLE about his friend, counselor Bob Forrest, who persuaded him to get treatment: “He said, ‘I am so tired of people talking about rehab who have no idea what they’re talking about.’” They are unaware of the struggles and addictions that celebrities face.

The VH1 series, which ran from 2008 to 2011, featured a number of celebrities addressing their substance misuse problems in the Pasadena Recovery Center in California with Pinsky. Celebrity Rehab featured prominent artists, actresses, sports, TV celebrities, models, and more throughout the course of five seasons. Regretfully, following their performances on the reality show, twelve celebrities have passed away. Let’s examine their lives in more detail and how they openly discussed their difficulties in an effort to assist others.

If substance misuse is a problem for you or someone you know, please call the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP. Please call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741, or visit 988lifeline.org if you or someone you know is thinking about taking their own life.

It’s funny how life tricks us, isn’t it? The frontman of Crazy Town, who was well-known for being insane both on stage and, regrettably, off, died in June 2024 at the age of 49. Shifty went in and out of dangerous circumstances during his career, including comas and DUI accusations. It was heartbreakingly obvious how much cocaine and medications affected him. “If I kept at it, I was going to die,” he once said to PEOPLE. My goal is to remain sober.

Tom Sizemore

On March 3, 2023, Tom Sizemore, the guy whose Golden Globe-nominated performances could have you riveted to the screen, passed away. His struggle with drug usage was more tragic than amusing. Paul, his brother, said, “He was bigger than life.” More than anyone I know, he has impacted my life. I am heartbroken by his passing and will always mourn him.

Frankie Lons

Every child’s worst dread is to watch their own mother battle addiction before giving in to it. Frankie Lons, the mother of Keyshia Cole, had a turbulent life. What a horrible irony it was that she died on her own birthday. The emotional Instagram post from Elite Noel, her daughter, stated it all: “My mother in a body bag on her birthday is the worst anguish I have ever experienced! My heart ached so much.

Kitaen Tawny

At the age of 59, actress and ’80s star Tawny Kitaen passed away quietly at her Newport Beach home. Her children Wynter and Raine verified their grief with a statement, “You gave her life every day,” following her diagnosis of dilated cardiomyopathy. We love and miss her, and we are aware that her legacy will endure forever.

McKibbin, Nikki

Do you recall Nikki McKibbin from the inaugural season of American Idol? She was generous enough to give her organs before she went away at the age of 42 from a brain aneurysm. Craig, her spouse, put it poetically: “Even in the end, she is still giving.” An appropriate homage to a giving person.

Jason Davis

At the age of 35, the voice actor that embodied a character in Disney’s Recess passed away from fentanyl overdose. His mother remembered him as a season 4 participant who “had a true heart of gold with such a zest for life.”

Chyna

On April 17, 2016, Chyna, a formidable WWE performer, passed away. The mixture of drugs in her system was the accidental offender. Her life served as an example of publicly facing one’s inner problems while clinging to hope.

Mindy McCready

On February 17, 2013, Mindy McCready, a country music vocalist with a beautiful voice, suddenly passed away. She dealt with alcohol and opioid addictions on the show, and her end was clouded in sadness following the suicide of her boyfriend. A terrible domino effect.

Joey Kovar

Joey Kovar, a reality star from The Real World: Hollywood, passed away suddenly at the age of 29. A life that appeared to be headed toward happiness was ended by opioid abuse. With regret, his brother remarked, “He had turned into such a happy person.” I’m still not really clear what transpired.

Rodney King

On June 17, 2012, the civil rights activist passed away at the age of 47. King’s stress from the vicious assault he suffered in 1991 at the hands of LAPD cops drove him to battle substance usage. Alcohol, marijuana, PCP, and cocaine all had a nasty part in his death; he was discovered drowning in his swimming pool.

Jeff Conaway

The well-known face of Grease actor Jeff Conaway concealed personal troubles. On May 27, 2011, the man who lighted up Broadway and little theaters alike passed away. He battled his addictions all the way to the end, but his job and the people in his life gave him comfort.

Mike Starr

To wrap up this solemn homage, on March 8, 2011, Alice in Chains’ Mike Starr overdosed on prescription drugs. Friends, family, and fans came together for an open memorial service in Seattle to honor a life that inspires people via music.

3 Incredible Stories of Wealthy Individuals Who Dared to Live Like the Rest of Us!

Sometimes, people go to great lengths to find the right connections, and that’s exactly what happens in these stories. The wealthy characters in these tales wear cheap clothes, beg for money, and even pretend to be homeless to see the true nature of those around them. The results are surprising!

In these stories, our main characters deal with snobby rich parents who believe their daughters should only date rich men, wealthy guys who pretend to be nice just to win over wealthy women, and girlfriends who only want to marry rich men. Let’s dive into these intriguing tales:

Source: Midjourney

1. My Son Wasn’t Good Enough for His Fiancée’s Parents Until They Found Out Who He Really Was

I’m Sam Sutton, and I invented an unbreakable engine sealant. I never thought it would affect my son Will’s love life. Suddenly, we had a lot of money, but I learned that money can’t buy everything.

There are two things money can’t buy: love and health. I found out about love the hard way when my wife, Rain, passed away, and I learned about health when Will grew up.

Source: Midjourney

I raised my son alone after losing Rain. I made some mistakes, like spoiling him, but he turned out kind and loving. In high school, he became popular, but it was clear that people were more interested in my money than in him.

Will realized that the girls liked him for his wealth, not for who he was. One night, he came to me upset, saying, “Dad, the girl I love only cares about money.”

I told him to let her go, and he did. After that, he focused on genuine friendships.

One evening, he surprised me with a plan. “Dad, when I go to Yale, I want people to think I’m poor, like a scholarship student.”

Source: Midjourney

I asked, “Why would you want that?”

He explained, “If people think I’m poor, they’ll like me for me.”

I thought it was a great idea. We got him second-hand clothes, and he went to Yale looking like he had nothing. The plan worked! Will made true friends and met a girl he really liked named Edwina, or Eddy for short.

By his third year, he was in love and ready to propose! I was worried he was too young, but he was certain. Eddy said yes, and everything seemed perfect… until he met her parents, Marta and Farlow.

They were wealthy and clearly disapproved of Will. When he visited for Thanksgiving, they barely hid their disdain. They didn’t want their daughter marrying someone they saw as a poor college student.

Eddy loved Will and insisted that we join them for Christmas. I later heard from Will that her parents were not happy about our invitation.

Source: Midjourney

They agreed to let us come but secretly planned something else.

I decided to play along.

We took a Greyhound bus to their beach house in Narragansett, and I wore old, second-hand clothes. When Farlow picked us up, he looked at me like I was homeless.

During the visit, he bragged about his wealth, trying to make me feel small. But I stayed quiet, even when they gave Will a brand-new Porsche as a wedding gift on Christmas Eve. Farlow seemed to think he had won.

Then I pulled out an envelope and said, “Will mentioned you two are moving to New York. I hope this helps.”

Farlow laughed, “What is that? A list of shelters?”

Eddy opened the envelope and gasped. “Sam… is this real?”

Will hugged me, and Eddy turned to her parents. “Sam has given us the deed to a brownstone in Tribeca.”

Marta and Farlow were stunned. “But… you’re poor…” Farlow stammered.

I smiled and said, “I wanted my son to be loved for who he is, not for the $570 million he’ll inherit.”

After that, Farlow and Marta became Will’s biggest fans. My son and Eddy got married that summer. When they had a daughter, Rain, three years later, I bought the house next door to be close to them and help with my wonderful granddaughter.

2. I Thought I Was Marrying the Man of My Dreams Until I Saw His True Colors When Faced with Poverty

When my parents introduced me to Walter, I wasn’t excited about the arranged meeting. But when I saw him, I was stunned. He stood up in a sharp suit, his blue eyes shining in the dim restaurant light.

He smiled warmly and helped me into my seat, making my heart race.

“Ava, this is Walter,” his mother said proudly.

Source: Midjourney

My mom, Hilda, nudged me and whispered, “What do you think?” I could feel myself blushing.

At first, I was unsure about this meeting, but Walter quickly changed my mind. He was kind, attentive, and everything I hadn’t expected.

A few weeks later, he proposed with a diamond ring, and I happily said yes!

We were set to marry in a week, and my parents loved him!

As the wedding day approached, I was overjoyed. One day, while shopping for my wedding dress with my friend Hillary, I overheard some women talking in the store. What I heard shocked me.

“Did you hear Walter, the blue-eyed playboy, is getting married?” one whispered.

“I heard his parents found him a millionaire’s daughter,” the other added.

I tried to brush it off. There are many Walters out there, and I didn’t want to believe my Walter was part of their gossip. But doubts crept in.

Source: Midjourney

Later that day, as I drove to Walter’s house, I saw a group of homeless people and overheard one say, “That rich guy in the red car splashed water on us. It’s not even his money; it’s his parents.”

That hit me hard.

Could they be talking about Walter? I didn’t want to believe it. When I arrived, I heard him yelling inside.

“Get them out of here! I want them gone!” he shouted into the phone.

When he saw me, he softened his tone. “I was just making sure some homeless folks had shelter in this rain,” he explained.

I wanted to believe him, but something felt off.

That night, I couldn’t shake my doubts, so I called Hillary and told her my plan.

“I need to see who Walter really is,” I said.

To find out, I spent a few days with him. He seemed generous in public, but I decided to dig deeper.

I hired an actor, Joe, to pretend to be a homeless man at Walter’s favorite café. I wanted to see how my fiancé would react.

Hillary and I sat in disguise, watching closely.

Source: Midjourney

At first, he seemed nice, paying for the man’s meal. But then Joe “accidentally” spilled coffee on Walter’s fancy sweater. Walter’s smile faded, and though he said, “It’s no big deal,” he looked angry.

What I didn’t realize was that he had spotted me and knew I was watching, so he pretended to be kind. After leaving the café, he took Joe outside.

But once they were out of sight, he grabbed Joe by the shirt. “If you say anything to Ava, you’ll regret it,” he hissed, then stormed off.

Joe ran away, leaving me unsure if Walter was really bad.

A few days later, two women approached me at a boutique. One looked serious and asked, “Are you the woman marrying Walter?”

I replied, “Yes, and I love him. Why do you care?”

“Don’t marry him. He’s not who you think he is,” she warned before leaving.

I hesitated to follow them but they were gone. I brushed it off but felt uneasy.

Eventually, I decided to test Walter one last time. When he arrived at the fancy restaurant, I was outside in disguise as a homeless woman.

When I approached him and begged for help, he smiled but barely acknowledged me. He reluctantly handed me some money before walking away.

Feeling guilty, I followed him inside to apologize. But when I grabbed his arm, he turned around and slapped me!

“I’m a woman!” I stuttered, shocked by his sudden anger.

“How dare you follow me?” Walter shouted. “I hate your kind!”

When I revealed myself, his face went pale. “Ava? What are you doing?”

“I see you for who you really are now, Walter. The wedding is off.”

Months later, my parents introduced me to another man named Brandon. He seemed charming and well-mannered. But I was cautious now.

As he smiled and introduced himself, I smiled back, already planning how to handle this one. I wouldn’t be fooled again.

3. When I Proposed to the Girl of My Dreams in a Shabby House, She Showed Me Her True Colors

I grew up in a sad home. My mother married my father for his money, and after having me, she moved on. I watched how heartbroken my dad was, knowing the woman he loved didn’t care about him.

She wanted luxury while he wanted love, and I vowed to never let that be my life. I would never marry a gold digger.

fter studying abroad in England and Australia, I returned home with no real connections. My mom had remarried and never contacted me, and I had just my dad and grandmother, which was fine.

No one knew I was Danton Hardy’s son, the heir to Hardy Industries, and I wanted to keep it that way.

One night, I said to my dad, “I was thinking, how about I start working at the company?”

His face lit up. “That’s great! You can start as vice president of marketing!”

But I shook my head. “No, I want to start from the bottom. Don’t tell anyone who I am. Just hire me as an intern.”

He looked doubtful. “You know the pay’s not great, right?”

“That’s fine. I can live at home,” I laughed.

Source: Midjourney

So, I bought a modest second-hand car and got a few thrift-store clothes to start as a marketing intern. I loved it! I made friends, including Cynthia, another intern who became my best friend.

One day, while jogging, I bumped into a girl who spilled her coffee all over me.

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry!” she said, her eyes wide.

“It’s okay,” I stammered, blushing.

She introduced herself as Heather, and we chatted about life and dreams. I found her so interesting and beautiful that I wanted to see her again.

I worked up the courage to ask her out, and to my surprise, she agreed!

Our first date was simple but perfect. We went to a taco truck, where we shared laughs and talked for hours. I couldn’t believe how easy it was to connect with her.

A few months later, I decided to propose. I knew I wanted it to be special but also wanted her to know my love for her was real.

I found a small, beautiful ring I could afford and planned the perfect evening. I wanted to propose in my grandmother’s old house, a place filled with memories of my past.

That evening, I picked her up, and as we walked to the house, I felt nervous but excited.

“I have something special for you,” I said, leading her inside.

As I opened the door, she gasped. I had decorated the space with fairy lights and flowers, creating a magical atmosphere.

“What’s this?” she asked, amazed.

I dropped to one knee and said, “Heather, will you marry me?”

But instead of the joy I expected, her face changed. “In this dump?” she exclaimed, looking around in disbelief. “You expect me to marry you here?”

I was heartbroken. “I thought you’d like it because it’s special to me,” I said, my voice trembling.

“No offense, but I deserve better,” she replied, turning her back on me and storming out.

I was crushed. I realized that all those nights of laughter and connection meant nothing to her. She wanted the flashy life I’d avoided.

Days later, my dad found me sulking at home and asked what was wrong. I explained everything, and he nodded. “Ava, people like that show their true colors when faced with hardship. It’s a blessing you found out now.”

After a few weeks, I decided I would show her. I called her up and asked to meet.

Source: Midjourney

“Listen, Heather, I’m going to make my name mean something,” I said, planning to reveal everything.

I worked hard at my dad’s company and became known for my marketing skills. My dad believed in me and started trusting me with projects. He saw my dedication and love for my work.

Within a year, I helped double the company’s profits, and I finally revealed my true identity to my coworkers.

When I went to my childhood home for lunch with my dad, he smiled proudly. “You’ve done it, Ava.”

After that, I decided to throw a launch party for our new project. I invited everyone, including Heather.

When she showed up, I wore a tailored suit and greeted her.

“Wow,” she said, looking at me in shock.

“Welcome to my world, Heather,” I said, smirking.

She stuttered, “You look… different.”

I shrugged. “You said you deserve better. Well, I’m better now. Enjoy the party.”

As the night went on, I heard her whisper to a friend. “He’s changed.”

I chuckled, realizing I’d dodged a bullet.

Later that night, a woman named Jamie approached me. “You did great tonight. I love your vision for the company.”

I smiled back. “Thanks. I’m just getting started.”

We exchanged numbers, and as I walked away, I realized I’d found someone who appreciated me for who I truly was—not just my name.

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