EXCLUSIVE: Burt Reynolds in rehab!
Tags: Burt Reynolds, Burt Reynolds & Friends, Hanley Center, Ken Kaye, rehab
| Wednesday 16 September 2009 2:49 pm
Burt at the Maltz in June (Fred Montana/Special to Page2Live)
Big screen legend Burt Reynolds is battling an addiction to painkillers and checked himself into rehab at West Palm Beach’s Hanley Center.
He first sought treatment as inpatient but has since been released and continues his recovery at home in Hobe Sound.
“After recent back surgery,” Reynolds spokesman Ken Kaye said, “Mr. Reynolds felt like he was going through hell. After awhile, he realized that he was in the prison of prescription pain pills. He checked himself into rehab in order to regain control of his life. He hopes that his story will help others in a similar situation. He hopes that others won’t try to solve the problem on their own as he tried to do.”
Kaye, the rookie executive director of the Burt Reynolds and Friends Museum in Jupiter, added that the star of Smokey and the Bandit and The Longest Yard would be back to teach acting classes at the museum Friday.
“They kept him in for a few days, but he is home as we speak,” Kaye said. “He’s doing very well. He’ll be in top form for the class.”
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A paparazzied picture of Reynolds, 73, sporting a gray beard and looking relaxed while standing in front of a Hanley building will be published later this week in the National Enquirer.
The tabloid reported that Reynolds was found nearly unconscious and covered in blood after a fall at home.
Reynolds was then taken to St. Mary’s Hospital. He was allegedly acting so strangely that someone convinced him to check into Hanley next door.
For several months, Page2Live received reports of Reynolds appearing at local functions in an obviously altered state.
A former Palm Beach High School student, the actor attended an alumni breakfast last month at Ralph’s Place in Palm Beach Gardens. One of his fellow alums told me he looked “horrible.”
“He looked like he is terminally ill or something,” the source said. “He was acting weird.”
In June, a Page2Live shutterbug saw him lean heavily on a helper as he walked to his car after a fund-raiser at the Maltz Theater in Jupiter. According to the photographer, Reynolds looked “out of it.”
Then in July, according to the NE, a disoriented Reynolds was rushed for a first time to St. Mary’s by his houseman. He wasn’t admitted.
Still, the latest news that he checked into rehab shocked many who saw Reynolds in the spring.
Whether it was as a surprise guest at a Palm Beach Film Commission’s student competition in April or as he taught film-making classes at the museum, Reynolds was his usual sharp-witted self.
“He functioned very well when we had him at the showcase and he stayed with the students for a long time,” said Film Commissioner Chuck Elderd. “He was very coherent, on top of his game. This is shocking.”
Reynolds has been known to battle back problems for years, as well as other ailments he suffered in his years as a stuntman.
“He’s had terrible injuries,” Elderd said.
In the 1980s, Reynolds admitted to being hooked on sleeping pills but didn’t go to rehab.
This time around, Reynolds is in the middle of the 30-day program at Hanley, often considered one of the better drying tanks in the country.
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So many people,famous or not, are being addicted and dying from addiction to painkillers! We blame the users and the unscrupulous doctors, but what about the drug companies? They are the real pushers!
no other country in the world allows such liberal perscribing of dope. buisness is allowed to do what they want in this country, including savagery to citizens. now that the rich are raping the rich (madoff), its possible things might change.
My husband was addicted to pain killers 11 years ago.He too went to Hanley.He has been drug free since going there.I blame his doctor!!!!I begged and pleaded with his doctor to stop giving him lortab for his tennis elbow.The doctor would not listen to me.The doctor is still practicing in WPB.
Imagine the right-wing outlash if he had been smoking pot! Even the fat rush wanted pity and leniency for himself, because it was ‘legal’ drug addiction, despite demanding prison for the ‘illegal’ users.
When will we learn that illegal drugs are so because it keeps the ‘legal’ addictions profitable!
Notice the article did not say he “successfully completed” inpatient tx. Sounds like he went for a few days and checked himself out. Many People on opiates usually do this as they do not like the withdrawal sx of opiates and return to use. If he is really an addict he needs to be somewhere for at least 30 days inpatient maybe more.
Get better baby, we love you. God loves you.
Bravo HedlyKarok….Big Pharma is the biggest drug pusher going and they just keep growing and growing.
Why does it have to be everyone else’s business? No one has a right to know the medical treatments of us commoners; why is it so necessary for everyone to know every last detail of a famous person’s treatment? All of you who would take any pleasure in his ills, are sick in your own right.
First it says he went for a few days, but is now relaxing at home in Hobe Sound. Which leads me to believe that he went and then checked himself out which is not a good sign.
Then at the end it says he’s in the middle of the 30 day program, doesn’t make any sense.
I hope he gets the help he needs!
Burt’s been hooked on these and other substances since before Lonnie showed up. He’s been and continues to be a nice guy who can’t jettison the so called friends that continue to “yes” him to near death. It’s nobody’s fault except Burt and his posse. If you think this sounds similar to Michael Jackson you are correct. The number of his people dwindles as Burt’s money continues to dwindle, but they are still around. I hope he gets help and helps himself…happy trails Bandit.
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I sympathize with the back pain. Doctor’s need to be more responsible and pay attention to their patients. The pharm companies make the drugs, not prescribe them. I hope Burt gets through this soon and returns to a productive life. The blame the pharma companies isn’t logical, but it is funny!
He must be hurting for cash if he went to Hanley.
Most celebrities go to the Betty Ford clinic but that’s very expensive. If he’s really addicted he didn’t get better in a few days. Anyone remember Ike Turner who supposedly cured a 30 year drug problem in a 42 day program? Why 42 days? That’s as long as insurance companies will pay.
I wish Mr. Reynolds well.
I would also like to address the people jumping up and down about RX abuse.
The people swallowing the pills are the abusers.
Good Doctors do their best in prescribing whatever kind of medicine, be it anti-biotics or whatever.
The real losers here are the actual patients with a legitimate reason for needing pain medication.
They are being undermedicated and in pain because Doctors are under incredible scrutiny when prescribing controlled pain medication, ask any Doctor about the federal forms and controls in place regarding prescribing these medications.
Patients with real need for this type of medication are not getting it because of celebrity addicts and Dr. Feelgoods.
Pity the rich and famous, they fall harder than most.
Not only do they pain from whatever they got or develop addiction to, they are also hounded and harshly put into the limelight every step of the way.
Staggering is the number of incidences lately involving adolescents pouring vodka in their eyes for an accelerated high. It’s called “eyeballing” on the street and can cause blindness and death. Is anyone else seeing this trend? Patrick at Palm Beach Institute http://www.pbinstitute.com