João Franco from Below Deck Med has given up drinking after doing a considerable amount of soul searching. The reality TV star used Instagram to reveal that reconnecting with some family in Africa made João realize he needed to make some drastic life changes.
In a series of Instagram posts, the bosun got real about how alcohol has impacted his life. João admitted it was a long road getting to the place he is today, where he is ready to live without alcohol in his life.
Sings it’s time to stop drinking
There were many signs for João that it was time to stop drinking, and the first was hangovers.
“I’ll tell you what. A hangover, One that’s lasted 3 days! Demons. Alcohol. I’ve decided I hate this feeling! I seriously hate it! I should be the happiest I have ever been and yet I feel insecure, questioning my purpose, or more so, what I’m doing with my time that is important and how much of my time on this earth I am spending on unimportant things,” he shared in his first Instagram message.
Another sign was waking up to bloody knuckles or being arrested after a night of drinking that he barely remembered. Those should have been wake up calls to quit drinking, but they weren’t at first. João almost admitted watching himself on the Bravo show was a sign too.
The final sign was realizing that he could have killed someone or himself. The Below Deck Mediterranean star knows his demons are dangerous. However, he is ready to face them before he kills himself, or worse, someone else with his drunken actions.
“Not just killing me, but all those involved too, Or worse- I live, and others die. I go through waves. I reflect and calm down for a few months, and then something gets me on the road to inevitable doom again,” he shared in one post.
Deciding to live a sober life
In another post, João declared he is sober and shared what led him to make the decision finally.
“I cut out what is pulling me down. Alcohol. Because alcohol is THE ONLY thing that makes me lose faith in myself and question my actions,” he admitted.
The Below Deck Med star also revealed that by being sober, he hopes to inspire others to be healthy too.
“I hope to change lives as I change my own. Not through telling people it can be done but showing them. Maybe save a life or two. Maybe hundreds! This is at least one of the reasons I believe I’m still here. And it’s certainly a reason worth living! I quit,” João said.
João Franco is getting support from his Below Deck Med costars after revealing he stopped drinking. Captain Sandy Yawn, who is a recovering alcoholic and addict, as well as deckhand Colin Macy-O’Toole both expressed their love for João. They each promised to support him on his journey to living a sober life.
Below Deck Med returns to Bravo in Summer 2020.