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How family murders led Kelsey Grammer to drinking and drugs

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How family murders led Kelsey Grammer to drinking and drugs

Kelsey Grammer, best known for his role as Dr. Frasier Crane in the popular TV shows “Cheers” and “Frasier,” has had a tumultuous life off-camera.

The 62-year-old actor has been through several tragedies that have affected him deeply.

When he was just 13 years old, Grammer’s father was killed during a home invasion. This was a traumatic event that would leave a lasting impact on him.

A few years later, his younger sister Karen was raped and murdered. Grammer was the one who first reported her missing.

To make matters worse, his two half-brothers, Stephen and Billy, also passed away in a scuba-diving accident in the Virgin Islands.

Grammer struggled to cope with these devastating losses, and turned to alcohol and drugs as a form of self-medication.

He eventually served prison time for drunk-driving violations in 1990 before finding sobriety in rehab.

“I just put [that pain] where it is: in the past,” Grammer said in an interview with UK’s i News.

“But it’s a pain that you can always stumble into again — it’s with you 24/7, especially in the case of tragic death, and there have been a few of those.”

“It’s just part of life. Maybe I learned a little earlier than most, but it’s just the way it goes.”

After three failed marriages, Grammer found love with British former flight attendant Kayte Walsh. However, even this relationship was not without its challenges.

In 2008, Grammer survived a heart attack, but Walsh suffered several miscarriages.

“Kayte and I had a couple of miscarriages before we had our first child,” Grammer admitted.

“That was devastating. These things are hard. But when it’s good, it’s magnificent.”

Despite these challenges, Grammer is now in a better place. He is a proud father of seven children: Spencer, Greer, Mason, Jude, Faith, Kelsey Jr., and Auden.

“It takes me a while to figure things out,” he said about his former relationships.

“I usually have to repeat a lesson or two — maybe three times! I survived my previous relationships just in time to land in a place where I could be in a relationship with a terrific person.”

Grammer is currently starring in “The Last Tycoon,” a series based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s unfinished novel, opposite Lily Collins.

He also credits his faith for keeping him motivated as a successful actor in Hollywood.

“As a Christian, we always fail because we can’t become Christ,” he said. “But I can try to at least emulate the best qualities, even if I may fall short.”

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