Former Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum (D) announced he would step out of public life and get treated for alcohol abuse on Sunday.
Gillum will seek treatment after he was found intoxicated next to a man suspected of overdosing on crystal meth in a Miami hotel room. In a statement, he admitted he developed an alcohol addiction after losing to current Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2018.
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“After conversation with my family and deep reflection, I have made the decision to seek help, guidance and enter a rehabilitation facility at this time. This has been a wake-up call for me. Since my race for governor ended, I fell into a depression that has led to alcohol abuse,” Gillum said.
“I am committed to doing the personal work to heal fully and show up in the world as a more complete person,” he continued. “I now need to firmly focus on myself and my family. I will be stepping down from all public facing roles for the foreseeable future.”
After being discovered intoxicated, Gillum issued an apology. Methamphetamines were found in the hotel room with a man authorities described as someone who suffered “possible drug overdose.”
“While I had too much to drink, I want to be clear that I have never used methamphetamines,” Gillum said. “I apologize to the people of Florida for the distraction this has caused our movement.”
