Steven Tyler, 74, voluntarily checked himself into rehab recently after suffering a relapse while preparing for Aerosmith‘s long-awaited Deuces Are Wild tour. The news was shared on the band’s official Instagram and sent shockwaves across the recovery community, as his latest bout with sobriety lasted for over a decade. Luckily, a longtime friend of Steven’s told HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY that he has a “strong support system” that will help him get through this.
“Steven Tyler is an amazing man who constantly gives back to the recovery community and he has used his platform to help so many people over the years,” R.J. Holguin, who has known Steven for over 15 years, said. “At the end of the day, Steven is a human being. He has a strong support system in place, but any support system can have challenges. Everyone’s journey is different. Everyone is proud of him for his decision to go and get help.”
According to R.J., who is the owner of My 12 Step Store — a Los Angeles-based recovery merchandise retailer — the “Living on the Edge” rocker has always made a point to give back to the community. “In 2007, Steven came into the store as he was on his way to perform with Aerosmith at the Hollywood Bowl. He was proud of his sobriety and outspoken about it,” R.J. told us. “I asked him to design a t-shirt and sign it. He drew a growing plant and wrote the words, ‘One Day At A Time, Luv Steven Tyler’ on it. With his approval, we turned his design into a postcard and have donated the proceeds from it to local rehabs for the past 15 years.”
As fans know, Steven first got sober in the 1980s and stayed sober until the early 2000s. He suffered a short-lived relapse and got back on the wagon again until suffering a second relapse in 2009. After overcoming that, Steven has remained sober since. The statement that was shared with fans read, “As many of you know, our beloved brother Steven has worked on his sobriety for many years. After foot surgery to prepare for the stage and the necessity of pain management during the process, he has recently relapsed and voluntarily entered a treatment program to concentrate on his health and recovery,” the statement read.
In addition, Aerosmith told their fans that they will have to wait to see the band perform live, as they have decided to cancel the beginning of their Deuces Are Wild tour, which was set to start in Las Vegas, Nevada, on June 17. “We are truly sorry to inform fans and friends that we must cancel our first set of Las Vegas residency dates this June and July while he focuses on his well-being.”