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Steve Lesh, left, and Whitney Rose, right.
Whitney Rose of Real Housewives of Salt Lake City revealed she isn’t currently in contact with her dad, who struggles with drug addiction issues.
The reality star expressed during an Instagram story last week that her father Steve Lesh “isn’t responding” to her calls, The Sun reported. Lesh has been open about his struggles with addiction in the past during the premiere season of the show.
According to The Sun, a fan asked Rose during a question-and-answer style session on her Instagram how her father is doing.
“How is your dad doing?!” the fan wrote, the outlet reported.
“So I actually don’t know how my dad is doing right now, which is breaking my heart and is having me very worried,” Rose responded on her story, The Sun said. “He’s not responding to me currently so I hope he is okay.”
Rose shared the update shortly after her dad was seen on a RHOSLC episode signing up for treatment.
The Sun speculated Rose’s father may have relapsed, writing, “With him not responding to his daughter and her not knowing his whereabouts, it’s grim signs that point to another possible relapse or bout of being in a poor mental state.”
Here’s what you need to know:
Lesh Has Struggled With Drug Addiction for Years, According to Rose
During the premiere season of RHOSLC, Rose disclosed that she has had a rocky relationship with her father during his drug addiction — which he has struggled with for years.
“My parents’ marriage started struggling around the time I turned 16 and my mom chose to divorce him,” Rose said earlier this season. “My dad became very lonely and turned to prescription drugs to self medicate.”
She added that he has been sober on and off.
Rose expressed that her father has leaned on her more so than other family members during his addiction.
“When everyone started learning about my dad’s addiction, I was the only one that stood by his side and offered him help,” she shared. The Bravo celebrity added that most “Mormons” view addiction as a consequence of your decisions, but she now understands it is a “disease.”
In a confessional interview, Rose said, “I truly believe that if I didn’t stick by my dad’s and continue to put effort into whatever form of a relationship I could have with him, I truly believe that if I wouldn’t have done that, I don’t think my dad would be here today.”
Rose Has Helped Her Dad Financially During His Addiction
Recently on RHOSLC, Rose divulged that her father has been leaning on her financially during his addiction.
“The first time that I took him to rehab, he wanted me to pay for it,” she disclosed. “He made a list of everything he had paid for in my life. My education, dance, sports, car, tickets.”
She mentioned that he even kept tabs on “some stupid fender bender” she was in, saying:
“He even remembered some stupid fender bender I was in, saying that because he chose to have me as a child, now I owe him 30 grand for rehab. In that moment I was like ‘f**k you’…but then I still paid for it.”
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