Although Dog Whisperer Cesar Millan's year is ending on a super positive note (with a new TV show, book, and tour), this wasn't the case not too long ago. Depression deeply affected the TV star and ultimately lead him to attempt to take his own life when his dog, Daddy, died in February 2011 and his now ex-wife filed for divorce months later.
The popular celebrity dog trainer and host of National Geographic's Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan seemed on top of the world with his successful show and celeb clients. He recently opened up about his battle with the condition after things started heading south in his life in 2010, but despite the suffering he faced that year, Millan grew and overcame depression in a positive way.
Millan speaks about the dark turn his life took for the first time in his upcoming documentary, Cesar Millan: The Real Story, where he explains how he couldn't handle the depression anymore and overdosed on unknown drugs in an attempt to end his life.
Best known for interacting with dogs and understanding them better than anyone else, Millan first came to the United State from Mexico when he was 21 with only $100 dollars in his pocket in hopes of becoming a prestigious dog trainer. He worked at a Southern California dog grooming store until his dream became a reality when celebs saw his way with dogs and hired him as their dog trainer. One of these, Jada Pinket Smith, was one of Millan's first clients (and even paid for his English tutoring). There's no denying that Millan is an amazing man, but 2010 became a dark time for him when his pit bull, Daddy, a companion Millan says was his source of calm, passed away at 16 years old.
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On top of the huge loss, a few months after Daddy's passing, Millan's wife of 16 years filed for divorce, pulling him into an even darker state of sadness. That's when he overdosed on those drugs. He was hospitalized and after his suicide attempt thankfully gone wrong, he took control of his life and decided to immerse himself in work, exercise, and love, and eventually he met his current girlfriend, Jahira Dar.
I've never suffered from depression, even though there have been periods where I have been sad, it has never been to the degree that Millan seems to have been affected. Depression is generally a topic that most people in the spotlight do not speak about because of fear that it may tarnish their image–and it's even a taboo subject among Latinos. But being candid about something so personal may just do the opposite and earn these celbs a lot of respect–and help others struggling with the condition recognize that they are not alone.
Although he went through a rough time and even attempted to take his own life, I admire Millan for opening up about his struggle and overcoming it in a healthy way. Suicide may seem like the only way out for people, but they forget that their death impacts their loved ones as well. We're excited to see that he has since then recovered and chosen to continue a career in dog training and living a positive and peaceful life. Millan's new documentary premieres on Nat Geo Wild on November 25.
Image via Getty Images
