Danny Trejo has taken to social media to celebrate his milestone of being 55 years "clean and sober".
Trejo has been blessing our screens for many years now, and whenever he appears in a TV show or movie, you just know something wild is about to happen (I'm thinking turtle in Breaking Bad).
The 79-year-old actor, who has maintained his sobriety since 1969, took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to share his monumental achievement in his journey to recovery.
In a heartfelt tweet, Trejo expressed: "I'm 55 years clean and sober today by the grace of God! I've done this one day at a time, and for anyone out there struggling YOU CAN TOO!"
Fans were clearly happy to see the Machete star doing so well, so naturally the comments were full of messages of support for the actor.
One person said: "Hats off, I've now been sober and clean for 8 years, navigating through life's challenges day by day. May your journey grant you 55 more years of sober and clean triumphs. Disfruta tu trade!"
A second added: "Congratulations! Addiction runs heavily in my family, so I know how hard it can be. Keep being amazing," while a third said: "Wow. Amazing achievements. Blessed life."
Trejo's journey to sobriety is all the more remarkable considering the dark path he was once headed down before his Hollywood career took off. During the 1960s, he found himself in a downward spiral, spending over a decade in and out of prison for armed robberies and drug-related offenses.
Hailing from a tumultuous upbringing in Pacoima, California, Trejo's troubles culminated when he accidentally hit a guard in the head with a rock, landing him in hot water and facing potential charges of attempted murder.
Trejo shared with The Guardian: "I was throwing it at a group of guys and he happened to be hit... So we all had gas-chamber offenses, and we were taken to the hole and I remember saying: 'God, if you're there, everything will turn out the way it's supposed to. If you're not, I'm f***ed.'"
Remarkably, Trejo's prayers seemed to have been answered as the case was eventually dropped due to insufficient evidence. Keeping his promise to turn his life around, he has maintained his sobriety since 1969.
Recently, he made headlines for filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, a "reorganization bankruptcy" aimed at allowing a company to restructure its obligations and remain operational. This step was prompted by a substantial tax bill of around $2 million that accumulated due to "mistakenly claimed deductions" over the years, Trejo admitted.
Not limiting himself to acting, Trejo has embarked on various successful culinary ventures, including Trejo Tacos and Trejo's Coffee and Donuts in Las Vegas. These businesses, held under separate corporations that he established to oversee them, are unaffected by the bankruptcy filing.
We can't wait to see what Trejo gets up to next!
If you or someone you know is battling addiction, please reach out for help and contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA's) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (1-800-662-4357) or go to https://findtreatment.gov/
