Former Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum (D) was seen as a promising Democrat even after he lost the 2018 gubernatorial race to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R).
However, that promising career seems to have been clouded by a recent mishap when it was reported that the Mayor was one of three men involved in a drug overdose at Miami Beach’s Mondrian Hotel.
After the event, the Mayor has now released a statement, arguing that it was a lapse in judgement after losing the election and falling to a deep depression.
In a statement, Gillum explained that “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.”
He expressed that “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 noted, “I witnessed my father suffer from alcoholism and I know the damaging effect it can have when untreated. I also know that alcoholism is often a symptom of deeper struggles.”
In turn, he says that he is “committed to doing the personal work to heal fully and show up in the world as a more complete person.”
As such, he assured that he needs to “firmly focus on myself and my family.” So, he “will be stepping down from all public facing roles for the foreseeable future.”
After losing the gubernatorial race, Gillum was seen as a prospective candidate who could even run for the presidency one day. As he seeks help for personal issues, the future appears bleak, but the former Mayor is committed to overcoming adversity and getting back to work.
