Joe Don Rooney is celebrating an important milestone. The former Rascal Flatts‘ member reveals on social media he is celebrating three years of sobriety. The anniversary date, September 13, was also Rooney’s 49th birthday.
The multi-instrumentalist spoke out about both occasions on social media.
“Thank y’all for the birthday wishes,” Rooney writes. “I’m humbled and blown away at all the X posts I’ve seen for my birthday today. It’s been a heckuva journey for me the past 3 years. Not only is today my born date – but today is also my 3 year sobriety date. I’m grateful and my heart is so full of love and appreciation today. God is so GOOD!!”
Rooney also encouraged others who are also battling addiction, as he did quietly for years, before going public with his decision to get sober earlier this year.
“Anyone out there who might be struggling with addiction, please know there is light at the other end of that long seemingly endless small tunnel,” Rooney says. “Lean on those who love you – and if you are able to, get with a good treatment center and take the time to love on yourself like you maybe never have before. You can do it!”
The Kansas native concluded his post with a quote by Fannie Flagg, which says, “Don’t give up before the miracle happens.'”
Thank y’all for the birthday wishes. I’m humbled and blown away at all the X posts I’ve seen for my birthday today.
It’s been a heckuva journey for me the past 3 years. Not only is today my born date – but today is also my 3 year sobriety date.
I’m grateful and my heart is so…— JDR (@JoeDonRooney) September 13, 2024
On January 3, 2024, Rooney shared a lengthy post on social media, after being absent from any platform for an extended period of time. Rooney was in a car accident on September 9, 2021, which resulted in him being charged with driving under the influence, after he crashed into a tree. He was sentenced to a year in jail, with all but two days of his sentence suspended. It was the event that Rooney believes ended up saving his life.
“Fortunately, (and I truly believe this,) God led me into that tree safely enough to not kill me – and luckily nobody else was involved and I didn’t injure or kill anyone,” Rooney said at the time. “I could literally be in a Federal Prison for life right now. That is the reality of what my life had become. That event led me to treatment for my alcoholism for four months in the beautiful mountains of Utah.”
“With the help of my family and so many other professional clinical advisors and now numerous new sober forever friends, I’ve been able to get the train back on the tracks and live without the burden of alcohol,” he added. “Now, I need to protect my family and protect my sobriety. I have new healthy boundaries for the first time in my life. Only positive, loving, caring and understanding people may enter.”
Rascal Flatts announced at the start of 2020 that they were doing one final farewell tour, and then the three band members, including Gary LeVox and Jay DeMarcus, would pursue other project. The trio was set to embark on their Life Is a Highway Tour, which was canceled due to COVID-19.