Yahoo Sports Summer House 's Carl Radke Plants Tree for Late Brother on What Would've Been His 42nd Birthday
Charles Sykes/Bravo Carl Radke
Carl Radke is remembering his late brother on what would've been his 42nd birthday.
On Friday, the Summer House star, 37, honored his older brother Curtis with a heartfelt birthday message on Instagram.
The post comes 18 months after Curtis tragically died following a "lifelong battle with mental illness and addiction," Radke previously disclosed. He was 40.
"Today would have been my brother's 42nd birthday," Radke wrote beside a photo of him smiling next to a newly planted tree. "The feeling of loss will never go away but I commit daily to be grateful for the things I've gained."
"Yeah, I'm smiling here but I'm crying while I type this. It's funny how grieving has it[s] waves and it's 'days'," he went on. "Our birthdays are so close it's hard not to think about him and the impact he had on my life."
The Bravo star, who has been sober since March 2020, went on to reveal that he recently planted a tree — something he believed his brother would be happy about.
"I want to continue to live with purpose and turn myself over to something bigger. I feel like my brother would be proud of me in this moment," he wrote. "I planted a little tree to sew some new roots and engage in something with meaning. As silly or goofy it is, I wanted to offer up my promise to myself and my brother. 393 days later and will continue to focus on one day at a time."
Concluding his post, Radke thanked the people who have been by his side to help him grieve Curtis' death and stay on the path of sobriety. He also gave a shoutout to those who wished him a happy birthday on Jan. 27.
"I just wanted to take the time to thank everyone for reaching out with birthday messages and support. I am so lucky to have incredible friends, family and girlfriend who made it so meaningful," he wrote, before giving girlfriend Lindsay Hubbard a sweet shoutout. "@lindshubbs you are beyond amazing and thank you for being right here with me."
"To anyone who has emailed, messaged or commented in the last 18 months, THANK YOU. I don't think I could have ever imagined the response people have had to my life changes and our families [sic] loss," Radke continued.
"The stories of disease and mental health challenges people share continue to really pull at my heart," he added. "I hope to share my journey so it puts a face to getting through hard things and moving forward."
Carl Radke
Radke first opened up about Curtis' tragic death on Instagram in September 2020, expressing that losing his "big brother is something I never could have imagined, and the sense of loss is even greater."
He also explained that Curtis' death had pushed him to "break the stigma around mental illness & addiction."
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Just months earlier, Radke revealed he had stopped drinking in March 2020 and felt "great" in his sobriety. The star added in his comments on an episode of The Publyssity Podcast that watching himself on television made him reflect on his personal issues, most notably his excessive drinking.
"It's been helping me take a step back and realizing I was drinking a ton and I was going out all the time," he explained. "A lot of my female relationships were affected. I didn't know that until later on, by my drinking. I was running away from a lot of things I wasn't addressing."
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Determined to get healthy and happy, Radke sought help from a therapist — which he said at the time was a huge breakthrough for him.
"It's my first time doing therapy while actually telling the 100% truth," he shared. "I've done therapy over the past six years and I never once, up until this past, you know, January, said, 'I drink a ton. I've done drugs. I've partied.' And it was liberating, actually, opening up with this therapist who focuses more on alcohol and just being completely honest."
Radke has since been candid about his sobriety journey, sharing updates on social media when he hits major milestones. While marking three months of sobriety last April, Radke said, "I'm feeling great and I'm happy to be here."
If you or someone you know need mental-health help, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, please contact the SAMHSA substance abuse helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
