Former Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum announced on Sunday he was headed into rehab for alcoholism, two days after he was reportedly found drunk in a hotel room with a male escort who suffered an apparent drug overdose, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported.
The reported incident involving Gillum, 40, occurred early Friday at a hotel in Miami Beach. The Palm Beach Post reported that responding officers found Gillum in the room with two other men, one of whom was suffering a possible overdose.
In a written statement, Gillum said he’d fallen into a deep depression after losing a 2018 campaign for Florida governor, and it led him into the throes of alcoholism.
The married father of three apologized to his family in the short statement:
“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,” Gillum said in a prepared statement. “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. I witnessed my father suffer from alcoholism and I know the damaging effects it can have when untreated. I also know that alcoholism is often a symptom of deeper struggles. I am committed to doing the personal work to heal fully and show up in the world as a more complete person. 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. I want to apologize to my family, friends and the people of Florida who have supported me and put their faith in me over the years.”
Gillum said in a written statement after Friday’s incident that he was attending a wedding in Miami when first emergency responders were called to tend to one of his friends. He also denied ever using methamphetamines.
The police report stated that officers discovered three small bags possibly containing crystal meth on the bed and floor. While officers wrote that they were unable to speak with Gillum due to his “inebriated state,” the news outlet reported that former mayor appeared fine when speaking to firefighters a short time later.
“I personally was not celebrating a wedding. I don’t know if [Gillum] was in town celebrating a wedding,” the alleged escort told the Miami New Times, adding that he’s known Gillum since around last spring.
The third man in the hotel room, who is an unlicensed physician, reportedly told officers that he entrusted his credit card to the alleged escort, who allegedly also identifies himself as a registered nurse on social media, to obtain the hotel room.
The physician reportedly claimed he entered the room at 11 p.m. to find Gillum and the alleged escort vomiting. After the man collapsed, the physician performed chest compressions and called 911, according to WPLG.
No arrests were made in connection with the suspected meth found in the hotel room. A Miami Beach police spokesperson told the Tallahassee Democrat the incident isn’t being treated as a criminal matter.
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[Featured image: Andrew Gillum/MPI10 / MediaPunch /IPX via AP]
