Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard had a big reason to celebrate this Labor Day weekend. Saturday was Shepard’s sobriety anniversary, and Bell recognized the moment with an emotional Instagram post.
“I know how much you loved using. I know how much it got in your way. And I know, because I saw, how hard you worked to live without it,” the Good Place actress wrote, alongside a gallery of family photos. “I will forever be in awe of your dedication, and the level of fierce moral inventory you perform on yourself, like an emotional surgery, every single night.”
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Bell, 38, went on to praise Shepard, 43, for always being around whenever she needs him and always willing to admit a mistake. She also called him an inspiration, especially for his bravery in sharing his story.
“I’m so proud that you have never been ashamed of your story, but instead shared it widely, with the hope it might inspire someone else to become the best version of themselves,” Bell wrote.
She concluded, “I love you more than I ever thought I could love anyone, and I want you to know, I see you. I see how hard you work. You set an excellent example of being human. Happy 14th year sobriety birthday.”
Shepard, who will soon be starring in Netflix’s The Ranch, has been open about his struggle with alcohol for years. In a 2016 interview with The Jason Ellis Show, Shepard said he was molested by an 18-year-old neighbor when he was seven years old. He linked that experience with his alcoholism.
“If you’ve been molested, you only have a 20 percent chance of not being an addict,” the Parenthood actor said. “And I was like, ‘Hmm, interesting,’ because in my mind I just like to have a f– great time. But when you hear a statistic like that, I’m like, ‘Oh no, I was going to be an addict, period.’”
Shepard has been sober since 2004. He married Bell in 2013, and they have two children, Delta, 3, and Lincoln, 5.
Bell told E! News in 2016 that her husband’s battle with alcoholism inspired her to help with People Assisting the Homeless (PATH), a group that helps the homeless move into homes.
“I have a particular affinity towards helping people who feel outcast whether they’ve made mistakes, like having past felony convictions or recovering addicts. My husband is in recovery and is almost 13 years sober,” Bell said at the time. “And seeing the world through his eyes has really opened mine to knowing that it is a disease and nobody is choosing to drink more than others, they are doing it because of a variety of reasons and they deserve the attention of a mental health professional, and not the county jail or however else we’re choosing to pretend we’re fixing the problem.”
Shepard will appear in The Ranch Part 6, which does not have a release date. In the meantime, Bell’s The Good Place debuts on Thursday, Sept. 27 on NBC.
Photo credit: Barry King/Getty Images
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