Haymarket Center holds 45th anniversary gala; Irika Sargent’s one-on-one interview with Rob Lowe on recovery

CHICAGO (CBS) — In a milestone celebration for a Chicago nonprofit helping people struggling with substance abuse, the Haymarket Center’s 45th Anniversary Gala raised money for the center’s work. 

CBS 2’s Irika Sargent emceed the gala.

She also sat down for an exclusive one-on-one interview with actor Rob Lowe to talk about his own recovery and why coming to Chicago to show his support was so important. 

Irika: Why come here and be a part of the Haymarket event? What about Haymarket drew you here? 

Rob: First of all I just need to say I love Chicago. Chicago has been very good to me. And the other thing that’s been very good to me is recovery. If I make it I’ll be 32 years sober in about a month, and that life has given me everything. So any time I can come to a place that’s for Haymarket or places that help people begin to put their lives together in the search for recovery, it’s my deepest honor.

Irika: What message would you want to send to other people who are thinking about recovery, thinking about making that change?

Rob: So many families are dealing with the issue of drugs or alcohol, and for me it’s the promise of a better life, and there is a way forward, and we know how to do this. When I started my journey my biggest fear was a wouldn’t have any fun anymore because i was 26 when I gave up all that stuff. And I’ve had more fun, I’ve had more good times, I’ve had more laughs than I ever had when I was out ‘having fun.’ So for me it’s just to empower people to make that first step and to begin that road to the lives they were meant to have.

Irika: How often do you have people come up to you and say that what you’ve experienced has made a change for them? 

Rob: When they do, it’s my favorite thing. I mean, they can talk about movies or they can talk about TV or books and podcasts and all the things that I’ve done, but when they talk about recovery, all of a sudden we’re equals. No matter who they are, where they’re from, all of a sudden we’re in a club. We’re in the best club in the world. And I love being able to have that when people come over, ‘Hey, I’ve got six months!’ ‘Hey, I’ve got three weeks!’ ‘I’ve got 10 years!’ It makes my day. 

Watch video here for Irika’s full interview with Rob Lowe.