AJ McLean celebrates one year of sobriety after decades battling drug and alcohol addiction

AJ McLean is celebrating one year of sobriety after decades battling an alcohol and drug addiction.

The boy bander, 42, took to his Instagram stories Tuesday morning to celebrate the milestone achievement.

AJ decided to commit himself to his recovery after returning home from a solo trip to Las Vegas last year reeking of alcohol, prompting his daughter Lyric to remark, ‘You don’t smell like my dad.’

‘Today is a very special day for me,’ AJ said. ‘It’s been a hell of a ride. I’m sure all of you guys know that I have been struggling with alcohol and drug addiction for a very long time.

‘Well over 20 years. And you know it’s just always been an uphill battle. And to finally get to today – one year sober. One year, a hundred percent, legitimate sober. No relapses, no mess ups, no do-overs. It’s been an amazing journey.’

He also thanked the group he started meeting with virtually this past year to attend AA meetings.

‘That has been a huge, huge asset in my recovery. Obviously not being physically able to go to meetings because of the pandemic, thankfully because of technology, and because of Zoom, I was able to at least touch in and check in every single day since March 19.’ 

AJ recalled the incident that set off his journey to sobriety, after he decided to go to Las Vegas by himself last year to watch a friend’s show.  

The singer returned home still drunk, prompting his young daughter to remark on his strong stench of alcohol.

‘December 5 of last year I went to Las Vegas by myself. That already in itself – recipe for disaster. Bad idea for an alcoholic and addict to go to Las Vegas by themselves with nobody and feeling pretty swirly. And I went to go see a show to support a friend and I got obliterated. 

‘I was drunk, I was high, I was out of my ever living mind. The next day when I came home, I was still drunk. I reeked of alcohol, and my youngest daughter Lyric went to cuddle with daddy and she got close to me and she backed off and said, “You don’t smell like my dad.” And that was it. That was the turning point for me.

‘I always said I would never let my kids see me drunk. And even though I wasn’t mumbling or stumbling over myself, I was still very much intoxicated from the night before. And the fact that it affected one of my kids to say that to me means it was time for me to get my a** in check and stop. I couldn’t be more grateful. I couldn’t be more joyful today. It’s been an amazing journey.’

AJ reflected on the milestone on a recent episode of his podcast, Pretty Messed Up, where he recalled that life-changing incident in Vegas.

The singer admitted he feared revealing he had relapsed to his wife and bandmates.

‘I always had this little inkling of fear when in regards to my wife, thinking, “Oh my God, she’s going to leave me. She’s going to take the kids. I freaking relapsed again, it’s over.”… Even though for years she always told me, “Look I get it, relapse is sometimes part of the deal. Just be honest. Just hold yourself accountable. Will I be bummed? Sure. But now that I know, I have time to process it.”‘

AJ has been married to wife Rochelle since 2011, and together they share three-year-old daughter Lyric and seven-year-old daughter Ava.