John Stamos has revealed that he was sexually abused as a child by his former babysitter when he was 10 or 11 years old.
The 60-year-old “Full House” actor said he “packed away” the trauma of the alleged abuse for decades before he began writing his memoir, “If You Would Have Tell Me,” due out Oct. 24 forced to come to terms with his past.
In an excerpt obtained by People, Stamos writes, “I mean, I knew it was always in the background and I’m so committed to it.” [survivors]. I felt like I remembered it easily. It’s always been there, but I put it away like people do, right?’
He said he didn’t tell anyone about the alleged abuse, writing: “I think I said to myself, ‘Ah, they’re girls, man.'” It was like playing dead so they would stop. But it wasn’t completely aggressive. I don’t know, it wasn’t good.’
The You star said he first thought about his past while writing an acceptance speech for an award he once received for his advocacy on behalf of abused children. He is known for his charity work and has been an ambassador for the ChildHelp charity for more than two decades.
Devastating: John Stamos has revealed that he was sexually abused as a child aged 10 or 11 by his former babysitter
Childhood: The 60-year-old “Full House” actor said he “packed away” the trauma of alleged abuse for decades before writing his memoir “If You Would Have Tell Me,” due out Oct. 24 forced to come to terms with his past (pictured as a young boy)
Stamos writes, “I started writing it and then it really came out.” And then I thought, “No, tonight is not about me. It’s about the children. I’ll put it away until the right moment.” Otherwise, I’m a fake idiot. It’s like, “Come on.”
“It was a page or something, but I felt like I had to talk about it.” It was strange. I think I was probably 10 or 11 years old [when it happened]. I didn’t have to deal with those feelings.’
The actor is now father to his five-year-old son Billy, who he shares with wife Caitlin, 37, and said: “But I’m telling you, if I found out that someone had done this to my son, it’s a whole different story. “’
Elsewhere in the memoir, Stamos reflected on his battle with alcohol and drug abuse, detailing how his 2015 drunk driving arrest prompted him to get sober.
He writes: “I had to get sober.” I simply drank too much. I just fell deeply. I didn’t go up. I just surrounded myself with people I shouldn’t have been with.
John fell into a spiral of alcohol and drug abuse as he dealt with the death of his father and his divorce in 2004. He found it particularly difficult to stop drinking after his mother died in September 2014.
Family first: The actor is now a father to his five-year-old son Billy, who he shares with wife Caitlin, 37, and said: ‘But I’m telling you, if I found out that someone had done this to my son, that would be an absolute Catastrophe.”different story’
Abuse: He said he didn’t tell anyone about the alleged abuse, writing, “I think I said to myself, ‘Ah, they’re girls, man.'” It was like playing dead to make them stop. But it wasn’t completely aggressive. I don’t know, it wasn’t good” (pictured in 1983 at the age of 20)
Coming soon: The star’s memoir is scheduled to be released on October 24th
In June 2015, he was arrested in Beverly Hills for driving under the influence. The actor later underwent a 30-day rehabilitation program in July to get his life back on track and was sentenced to three years’ probation for drunk driving.
“I had this drunk driving incident and thought, ‘I can’t do this.’ I have to pull myself together’. “That’s when I confused the universe because I’m not a bad person, but I did shitty things.”
The star went to rehab, where he says he was “dark for a while” before “making a lot of really good friends.”
He writes: “I’ve had a lot waiting for me and I feel bad because a lot of people don’t because they’ve burned their lives down.” Luckily I had my sisters, but I also had Fuller House. I came home and I think a week later we started Fuller House.
He credits his wife and son for helping him “stay on the path to sobriety.” He admits that a famous photo of him handcuffed on the side of the road after his arrest made him want to “throw up.”
Speaking about his struggles with addiction, John said in 2016: “It kind of degraded my life, my personality, my morals and my values.”
Jesse Katsopolis: Stamos gained worldwide fame on “Full House” and reprized his role on “Fuller House,” which ran from 2016 to 2020 (pictured in the show with Lori Loughlin).
“I lost myself, I lost my sense of discipline…more and more I just went into this dark place,” he said. “I had a terrible drunken accident which I’m so embarrassed about.” I could have hurt someone, it was really stupid and ignorant of me. And I hated myself for it.’
But John admitted that alcohol wasn’t the substance he found hardest to get rid of. Instead, it was the Ambien.
“I took some meds, antidepressants and that damn Ambien, I’m so glad I’m off it.” Completely wrong. “I’m not taking anything,” he said at the time.
Stamos gained worldwide fame through the series “Full House,” created by Jeff Franklin, which first premiered in 1987 and ran for eight seasons, the last of which ended in 1995.
The show focused on a widower who asked his brother-in-law and best friend to help him raise his children.
The show also featured artists such as Bob Saget, Lori Laughlin and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.
The series was followed by a sequel titled Fuller House, which ran from 2016 to 2020.