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Drew Barrymore has been very candid about her various struggles with alcohol and drug abuse over the years, and recently that history came back to revisit her in the most touching way possible.
While filming an episode of her talk show The Drew Barrymore Show on October 18, a visitor in the audience turned out to be a prominent figure from Barrymore's sobriety struggle: a flight attendant who helped her through a tough moment a few years ago.
The flight attendant, who was visibly emotional, spoke out from the audience.
She reminded Barrymore that they know each other, saying:
“When I met you, you were crying in my galley. That was four years ago and here I am crying on your show now.”
Barrymore immediately teared up herself as the flight attendant went on to say:
"And we sat in my galley, and you cried, and cried, ‘cause you were going through so much, and here I am at your show now.”
Barrymore asked the flight attendant if she remembered what she had been battling with at the time, and the flight attendant replied that she absolutely remembered, and the two cried together on the plane.
Barrymore joined the woman in the audience and said:
“That was a really hard year. That was the year I stopped drinking."
"You know, when you stop drinking, it’s not like all your problems go away. There’s a ton of work to be done. It’s a way to honor yourself and be consistent, and let the room in for other things.”
Barrymore went on to say that alcohol was her "number one" problem at the time and a crutch she leaned on because she "didn't want to feel."
She gave the flight attendant a heartfelt thank you for being there for her that day.
“There’s a reason we met that day. Thank you for letting me be so honest and transparent with you then and thank you for being that with me now. I don’t think we’re going to get anywhere unless we’re honest with ourselves.”
On social media, people were deeply moved by the moment, and many celebrated their own victories with sobriety in response.
@thedrewbarrymoreshow/Instagram
@thedrewbarrymoreshow/Instagram
@thedrewbarrymoreshow/Instagram
@thedrewbarrymoreshow/Instagram
@thedrewbarrymoreshow/Instagram
@thedrewbarrymoreshow/Instagram
@thedrewbarrymoreshow/Instagram
@thedrewbarrymoreshow/Instagram
@thedrewbarrymoreshow/Instagram
In an interview earlier this year, Barrymore revealed she began drinking heavily after her 2016 divorce and that her problem became so bad her therapist "quit on her." It's good to see how far she's come since then.