At that point, booze and drugs took over Trejo’s life. He was in and out of jail because of this addiction in his late teens and early 20s. Even thinking about a life without this drug must have seemed impossible. Lucky for Trejo, the right people came into his life and showed him that he didn’t have to deal with his problems alone.
He tried Alcoholics Anonymous in San Quentin State Prison in California. He was in and out of the program for years until a former criminal finally persuaded him to try it again.
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“That guy saved my life,” Trejo said, thinking back. “He said, ‘Why don’t you come with us? Join us before you do anything else. Just try it. “What have you got to lose?” It was sort of like coming to. So, I returned to meetings when I got out of jail.”
Now, Trejo was happy to tell people just yesterday that he hasn’t used drugs in 55 years! The 79-year-old actor says that he’s been able to change his life because of the people he picks to spend time with.
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“I really think that staying sober and clean depends on the people around you,” he said. “People in your life want you to stay clean and sober. If I’m going down the street with a clean and sober person and I say, “Man, I sure could use a joint or a beer right now,” this person will say, “Hey, wait a minute…. Let’s get together.’… I hang out with people who are sober and clean.”
Trejo used to help people with drug problems before he became an actress. Even though that’s not what he does for a living anymore, he still looks for ways to use his own experiences to help others who are going through the same things.
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“By the grace of God, I’ve been sober for 55 years today!” Trejo put a message on Instagram. “I did this one day at a time, and if you’re having trouble, YOU CAN DO IT TOO!”
