'Duck Dynasty' Star Jep Robertson Recalls How 'YOLO' Belief Almost Killed Him
A lot of millennials choose to adhere to the thinking called "YOLO," which stands for "you only live once." Because of this, many of them live happy, carefree lives without putting much thought into the future.
"Duck Dynasty" star Jep Robertson used to be just like that. He told the Hill Country Community Journal that if not for his family's love and guidance, he might not be enjoying the life he has now.
"As a senior in high school, I hung out with what I thought were 'cool' friends and started with the alcohol and the drugs. You could say I was a spokesman for YOLO," Robertson said.
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"But my father said, 'You also can die from this,'" he continued. "But I thought I could handle it. Then at one point I drove home one night and fell out of my truck, passed out on the ground. But thankfully I didn't kill anyone that night getting home."
His father then staged an "intervention" in order to save him from himself. Instead of getting angry at him, he only asked: "What took you so long?"
"My family put me on house arrest for three months at home! And I studied my faith all over again. And I realized I'd been counting on my father's faith and just being able to say, 'I'm with him,'" Robertson said. "He called me his 'prodigal son.'"
For those who are going through the same thing he did, Robertson would like them all to cast their doubts and fears to God. People might not think they are ready to embrace change, but God is always ready. "He's always ready. So you're ready. Get on your knees and let God have it," he advised.
Earlier, Robertson shared with ET that he was sexually abused when he was still in grade school. He revealed that an older girl would often sit beside him in the school bus and make him do things that felt "awkward."
He kept the abuse a secret from his family because he felt ashamed, and would often make excuses just to avoid school. Because of this trauma, he graduated from high school and went to college with a trauma that he hid by indulging in alcohol and drugs.
"I was really scared of girls and just women in general, but I think God had a plan for that. I know it sounds weird, but it's helped me now that I have a bunch of girls," he reflected. "I think it helps us really communicate with them on what's right and what's wrong — where you should be touched or not be touched. It's a tough thing to go through, but you just kind of live and go though it and make the most of it."
