A&E struck gold back in 2005 when they launched Intervention, a docu-style series following alcoholics and drug addicts (and some struggling with other disorders) from what we hope is their bottom through a staged intervention and, if all goes well, off to treatment. Though briefly canceled in 2013, the show was (thankfully) revived just a year later and has now officially entered its 15th season. This week’s episode was a re-run from Intervention Canada, which originally debuted on September 3, 2012, but aired as the 10th episode of season 15 on Sunday, May 8.
This Is Kent
From the outside, Kent grew up in the perfect nuclear family with a big sister, a loving mom and a dad he adored. But behind closed doors, Kent’s family was crippled by denial of their father’s alcoholism. Though his dad’s drinking may have been somewhat hidden, the message it sent to young Kent was clear: his dad loved his nightly cases of beer more that he loved being an active presence in his son’s life.
By the age of 12, Kent was an avid hockey player but his life took a dramatic turn when he was diagnosed with a hereditary blood disorder called spherocytosis which is characterized by internal pain, fatigue and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes). He had to have his spleen removed and was no longer allowed to play sports. It was then that Kent took up drinking, smoking and hanging out with what he calls “the wrong crowd.”
Now 37, Kent is a daily drinker and a father to three children of his own. He and his long-time girlfriend Niki have a tumultuous relationship, often fighting over how much alcohol Kent is drinking, which is anywhere from 12 to 24 beers a day. Though Kent considers himself an alcoholic because of how much and how often he drinks, he feels that he is functional because he still does his job every day. But even though he provides financially, Kent isn’t doing his job as a husband and a father every day. “There are two Kents,” Niki says,”the before 8 pm Kent and the after 8 pm Kent. The before is an amazing person, the after is just terrible.”
We learn that Kent has been physically violent and Niki is pretty much done. If things don’t change, she is going to take the kids and leave.
What It Was Like
Kent’s mother, Lorrilyn, describes her son as a “good little boy,” who arrived two weeks late and was born on Christmas day. His family members all report how cute and happy Kent was a child and how he and his older sister, Melissa, were very close. An active child, Kent fell in love with sports at an early age and played hockey religiously. Though his parents appeared to have a happy marriage, it was no secret within the family that Kent’s father had a drinking problem. He drank a case of beer a night and had bottles of booze hidden in every place you can imagine. But Lorrilyn is clearly not the kind of person who talks about problems, preferring instead to deal with them by pretending they don’t exist, and so the impact that Dad’s alcoholism had on Kent and Melissa wasn’t ever acknowledged or discussed.
At 6’1” and 135 pounds, Kent’s health is clearly declining but his actual prognosis is unknown since he hasn’t been to the doctor in years.
What Happened
When he was 14, Kent was sexually assaulted by a guy he fixed bikes with and though he was able to tell his mother about it, he never wanted to talk about it or seek help. Much like his mother, Kent seemed to think that if he ignored the problem, it would go away.
At this point, Kent began drinking and smoking pot every day after school. At 16, he dropped out of high school and a year later, his girlfriend became pregnant and gave birth to their son Todd. She gave birth to a second child later but he died of SIDS when he was just six months old. Kent’s girlfriend moved across the country, taking their then two-year-old son with her.
With a good amount of money coming in from his job at the local racetrack, Kent began partying a lot and was charged with three DUIs, the last earning him 90 days in jail. While he was there, he found out what his father had a heart attack and died. It was around this time that he met Niki, a pretty girl who liked to smoke crack. Kent says that he told her straight up that he likes to drink and smoke dope but he doesn’t like people who smoke crack and that if she wanted to be with him, she had to kick that habit. And she did, though she is clearly resentful that she modified her life to be with Kent but he hasn’t shown her the same respect and quit drinking.
Although it’s been nine years since Niki used crack, she hasn’t been an angel. Kent’s cousin, Erica, says that Niki is an “enabler,” and that when she lived next door to Kent and Niki, she could come home to find them drinking every day, all the time. Even Niki admits that when they first started dating, all they ever did was drink together.
But things changed when, after a night of drinking, Niki was sexually assaulted by one of their friends while Kent was passed out. Their relationship hasn’t been the same since.
What it’s Like Now
Niki describes sober Kent as funny, patient and kind. His family says that he has always been really good at anything he decided to dedicate himself to, so it’s no surprise that Kent is good at his job as a carpenter, building houses from the ground up.
Though he claims that his kids are his life, Kent spends all of his free time drinking and Niki is there to keep score. It’s clear that she is afraid for him and for their family. Kent’s family knows that something has to change or things are going to get even worse than they are now. “If Kent ever sat and honestly looked at himself in the mirror, I would be fearful for Kent taking his life,” his aunt Brenda says.
The Pre-Intervention
Interventionist Joey Marcelli meets with Kent’s family—Niki, Lorrilyn, Melissa, Brenda, Erica, Kent’s uncle, Curtis, and the big surprise, Kent’s now 19-year-old son, Todd, who has flown out for the intervention. Marcelli maps out where they are, pointing to the fact that Niki has been trying to manage and navigate Kent’s disease on her own and that needs to change. “I am going to need a commitment from every single one of you personally that you are going to support her,” he says.
Kent’s aunt, uncle and cousin are completely on board but Lorrilyn and Melissa are a different story. Years of denial are hard to break through and Kent’s mom fights back tears with indignance. “I can’t…I don’t want to bring all this shit up,” she says. Marcelli tells her, “You are only as sick as your secrets and if you keep the secrets inside, you will continue to be sick.” The room fills with tension and Erica calls it out. “We are sitting here in this room right now but we are divided,” she says. Marcelli agrees and says they need to get unified before the intervention. More denial and clear evidence that the family isn’t united follows. Finally, Marcelli says that the message needs to be clear—“I will love you but I will not love you to death.”
The Intervention
Though Kent supposedly believes he is going to his final interview for the documentary he has agreed to be in about addiction, he doesn’t seem too surprised when he walks into the intervention room. In fact, he immediately smiles and seems happy to see everyone. But he knows that is going on because by the time he sits down on the couch, he is crying.
Marcelli introduces himself and explains that people are going to read him some letters. Kent seems open to that and they begin with Brenda, Kent’s aunt, who calls him by his nickname, KD, and reminds him that he was their “Christmas surprise.” She lays out all the changes she has seen in him since he was a child and begs for him to accept help because she wants her KD back.
Next up is his older sister, Melissa, who almost immediately breaks down into tears. “I can see that your drinking is impacting your children and it scares me to think that they have to have the same experience we did.” This sentiment is reinforced by his mother who begs him, “Please don’t end up like your dad.” Todd also reads a letter explaining how Kent’s drinking has impacted him. Nail in the coffin.
There is no fight from Kent. Without hesitation, almost with relief, Kent agrees to go to a 90-day program at Sunshine Coast Health Center in Powell River, British Columbia. Rather than being pissed off, Kent seems excited and grateful. It’s a darn good thing too because I don’t think hush-hush Lorrilyn or angry Melissa were going to be able to stick to any bottom lines.
60 Days Later
After two months of treatment, Kent is thriving. With glowing reports of a bright future from the staff, Kent has gained 18 pounds and is loking better than he’s probably looked in 20 years. “Being sober is an amazing feeling,” Kent says, noting that he can feel his self-esteem coming back and is one of the happiest people in the world (enjoy it while it lasts). Niki comes to visit him with the kids and she’s thrilled, saying,“I am looking forward to having Kent in our lives without alcohol every single day.”
(One of the perks of an episode that is actually a rerun from Intervention Canada, by the way, is that they have these nifty follow-up videos. If you are interested in seeing how Kent is doing after 191 days of sobriety, click here.)
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