Rascal Flatts' Joe Don Rooney Reflects on Newfound Sobriety, Denies Rumors He's Transitioning in Message to Fans

The country star credited his 2021 DUI with helping him get his life back on track

Months after finalizing his divorce, Rascal Flatts guitarist Joe Don Rooney is entering 2024 with a new perspective.

The country musician, 48, shared a lengthy note to X (formerly Twitter) Wednesday morning in which he reflected on the aftermath of his 2021 drunk driving accident, expressed gratitude for his sobriety and denied baseless rumors that he was transitioning to a woman.

“First off, I am alive! There have been so many rumors and opinions thrown around about me — but I am finally healthy and ready for the world,” Rooney began his message. “And NO, I’m not transitioning to be a woman. That thought has never entered my mind. Nothing against the trans community whatsoever but I needed to set the record straight.”

Rooney then addressed his September 2021 arrest, during which he crashed his vehicle into a tree line in Franklin, Tennessee and was charged with DUI. The star pleaded guilty in June 2022, and was later sentenced to two days in jail.

Related: Rascal Flatts' Joe Don Rooney Finalizes Divorce from Wife Tiffany Fallon After More Than 2 Years of Legal Drama

On X, he said the accident occurred while he was “drunk” and “so far gone with my life — I was completely out of control and finished with trying to fight the fears, depression and anxieties that had spun me out in a way I’ve never experienced before.”

“My drinking had been an issue for many years - and as they say in AA and treatment, it’s a progressive disease,” he continued. “I am living proof that the progressive nature of drinking can really ratchet up and as I grew older as an adult my drinking grew worse.”

Rooney wrote that the pressures of his career and various mistakes he’d made in his marriage to ex-wife Tiffany, as well as “a lot of pain and trauma” from his childhood and early adult life, had reached a head that forced him to turn to the bottle.

“I was not a good father — I was not a good husband — and I was not a good band mate to my business partners,” he wrote. “I probably would’ve never taken responsibility for any of this if it hadn’t been for my car wreck on Sept. 9, 2021. And btw, going to jail sucks!”

The musician shares son Jagger, 15, and daughters Raquel, 13, and Devon, 9, with Tiffany, with whom he settled a contentious divorce in late September after nearly 20 years of marriage. Numerous court documents filed in the divorce revealed the many factors that led to the deterioration of the marriage, including extramarital affairs by both parties, Rooney’s struggles with alcoholism and the end of Rascal Flatts (The country trio called it quits in 2020 after COVID canceled their planned farewell tour).

Related: Rascal Flatts' Jay DeMarcus' Newly Unsealed Deposition Reveals What Joe Don Rooney Told Him About 'Painful' Divorce

Rooney continued his message on X, writing that he believed his car accident was divine intervention, as it eventually led to him seeking treatment for his alcoholism. He said he has been sober for nearly 28 months.

“I never believed I could actually live my life without drinking. It had become such a huge part of my daily and nightly routine,” he wrote. “I learned that I had to come to the realization that I was powerless over alcohol — and a power much greater than myself (and much greater than alcohol) was the only way to stop drinking and completely restore my sanity. God intervened and helped me to get my life back.”

The star said that for the first time in his life, he’s learned how to have “healthy boundaries,” and is now dedicated to “protect[ing]” both his family and his sobriety.

“I hope y’all have an amazing 2024. Thank you for all the love, support and prayers. I promise you, I’ve felt them all and I’m super appreciative,” he wrote. “Here’s to making the best of 2024 and living our most healthiest, happiest and goal oriented lives ever!!”

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