After finding out that Orlando Brown is doing well after a public struggle with drugs and mental health, fans are extending their love and support to the actor.
He is best recognized for his appearances as Eddie Thomas on the hit Disney show That’s So Raven and as the voice of Fillmore!
Brown made headlines in 2007 when he was arrested for marijuana possession and again in 2016 when he was arrested for meth possession and violence.
Brown has overcome his heroin addiction five years after attending Rise Church in Abilene, Texas, which he was introduced to by his then-fiancée and now-wife last year. In September 2020, the 33-year-old spoke with The Christian Post on his road to recovery. “I can tell you that I’m OK. I’m alive. I was in an unsafe position and it has been shaky but at the end of the day all I can tell you is I’m OK and I’m graduating,” he said.
Brown said he was graduating from Rise Discipleship, a Texas-based in-patient recovery program that he finished in November 2020, and called the experience “a terrific journey.”
Rise Discipleship is a free 6-month in-patient recovery program for men who are suffering from addiction, homelessness, or other life-controlling challenges. According to the website, “Every RISE student will be given a biblical foundation that will assist in character building and the leadership development to approach life in a new light.”
Brown linked his drug addiction to an addiction to the internet during a fundraising event for the program last year.
“I didn’t know what I was doing. I was addicted to the internet. All kinds of stuff,” he said. He also said that his fiancée told him about Rise Discipleship and that the people over the program “accepted [me] for who I am” once he arrived.
Brown has begun making music with Christian themes that mention his battle with addiction, including a tune called “Smiled On Me,” which he released after his rehabilitation.
Brown’s story was recently brought to the attention of the public owing to a viral tweet. On Wednesday, a snippet from the rapper’s song video went viral on Twitter, with fans praising Brown for his remarkable comeback.
“Not only did Orlando Brown overcome drug addiction, but he gave his life to Jesus. WHY ISN’T ANYONE TALKING ABOUT THIS? 🙌🏼😭,” the initial tweet asked.
“Salute to Orlando Brown man dude legit turned his life around and has a beautiful family…we see you King,” wrote one fan.
