John Stamos Says He Didn't Deserve To Be A Dad Prior To Him Sobering Up & Becoming 'Better Person'

Aug 12, 2021 by apost team

John Stamos has been a household name since the early 1980s when he rose to fame in the role of Blackie Parrish on "General Hospital." More TV work eventually led him to his most iconic role as Uncle Jesse on "Full House," and this only cemented his status as a handsome hunk of his time. The last few decades have seen the actor continue to work in television and even reprise his role in the reboot, "Fuller House."

But beyond his acting work, Stamos has also had quite the journey in love. After dating and marrying model Rebecca Romijn in the mid-'90s, the couple ended up divorcing ten years later. In the following years, Stamos wasn't linked to anyone romantically, so it was all the more heartbreaking when he began to voice his desire to have children. It's funny to think that although his character on "Full House," Uncle Jesse, was the rather irresponsible one, Stamos was nothing like that in real life. It seemed that the heartthrob was then just waiting to find the right woman to settle down with.

Then finally, he met model and actress Caitlin McHugh and their story is an absolutely adorable one. Not only did they meet while working together, but their romance didn't begin immediately and instead involved a few eerie coincidences for good measure. But once they were together, they knew that this was it. After proposing at McHugh's favorite place in the world, the couple announced they were expecting their first child together. Now a father, Stamos has given an exclusive interview to PEOPLE on Aug. 11, 2021, in which he talks about he didn't deserve to be a father before he got sober. 

Read on to learn more about Stamos' journey getting clean and preparing for fatherhood. 

John Stamos was born in California on August 19, 1963, to a second-generation Greek-American restaurateur. Interestingly, his last name Stamos is actually a shortened form of his birth name, Stamatopoulos. Throughout his youth, Stamos worked at his father's restaurants and other food establishments.

He decided he wanted to be an actor early on, and after only three weeks of auditioning, he lucked out and got his first role as Blackie Parrish on "General Hospital." Not many actors can consider themself so lucky to land such a big role as their first one, as not only did it put Stamos' name on the map, he was also nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award in 1984 for his work on the show.

Following his time in "General Hospital," he appeared in a few other sitcoms, including "Dreams" and "You Again?" before landing what would become his most iconic role, playing Jesse Katsopolis on the sitcom "Full House." The show was an immense success, with Stamos' turn as the hunky Uncle Jesse, a surefire drawcard for women everywhere. He even infused some of his own background into the role, having asked the producers to give his character a Greek name to honor his heritage. "Full House" was also notable for propelling Ashley Olsen and Mary-Kate Olsen, young girls at the time, into the stratosphere, while also cementing the careers of a number of other actors, including Stamos' close friend Bob Saget. It would run for eight years, airing from 1987 to 1995, but to the delight of fans, it wouldn't be the last the world would see of "Full House."

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Even playing Uncle Jesse, it was clear that Stamos had the dad gene in him. In fact, his co-stars on "Full House," Candace Cameron Bure, Andrea Barber, and Jodie Sweetin, told "People" that Stamos was the "baby whisperer" of the cast. Cameron Bure elaborated:

"He's the best with little babies and kids . . . So, he should have kids of his own, but if not, there's plenty of TV children to go around."

As McHugh and Stamos tried to have a baby, and upon learning they had conceived, Stamos insisted on proposing straight away. He told PEOPLE:

"We have the same morals and the same values, that all clicked nicely. So we said, 'Oh, well, maybe we should have a family.'" 

However, Stamos told PEOPLE on Aug. 11, 2021, that he couldn't have been a father without getting sober first. Stamos said:

"I wasn't deserving of it yet I think. But six years ago, I sobered up and I became a better person. And when Caitlin came around, I recognized it immediately. I said, 'I have to be good for that to make it work.' "

Stamos has previously been outspoken about achieving sobriety. 

"It took me a long time, a long time disappointing everyone who cared about me, culminating in a terrible DUI where I could have killed somebody," said Stamos. "I hit rock bottom."

He revealed that his co-star Jodie Sweetin was the only person in his life at that moment who could get through to him and help him get sober.

"Jodie lovingly allowed me to walk my own path and when I finally humbled myself to ask for your help, I realized that the perky little blabbermouth had become the master of wisdom and was right by my side during some of the most difficult days of my life," he continued. 

What do you think about Stamos's journey? Let us know your thoughts, and pass this story on to inspire others!