The homeless man with the “golden voice” achieved rags-to-riches fame as an Internet sensation, but couldn’t control his substance addiction and checked himself into substance abuse rehab in early January.
According to CNN, Ted Williams, 53, became an Internet hit after a Columbus Dispatch reporter filmed him panhandling on the side of the road. After the video was posted on the popular video site YouTube, the homeless man became the subject of several news stories as people across the nation became fascinated with his deep baritone voice and his intriguing story.
He revealed on numerous television interviews that he had struggled with drug and alcohol addiction for years and his lifestyle put a strain on his relationship with his family, ultimately leaving him homeless. But while his fame quickly reunited him with his relatives, problems began to emerge.
According to AllVoices.com, Williams’ daughter said Jan. 12 he had started drinking again after the two were involved in an argument in a Hollywood hotel. Though he denied her claim and had previously told news sources that he had been clean for two years, Williams decided to check himself into rehab after meeting with television host Dr. Phil. Their discussion aired on Jan. 13.
“If Ted is ever going to get better, he’s got to be honest with himself and admit he’s addicted to drugs and alcohol,” Dr. Phil said in a statement, according to CNN. “I’ve told him it’s not going to be easy and it’s going to take a lot of hard work. It might be a long journey for him, but this is a big step in the right direction.”
Williams’ fame swelled after he was featured on CBS’ “The Early Show” on Jan. 5. During the broadcast, he first revealed that he had received countless announcer job offers, and told audiences that he had already struck a deal with Kraft Mac & Cheese, in which he was paid $10,000 for voicing four ads, according to CBS News. He added that he was considering an announcer job with the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers.
The show also reunited Williams with his mother, whom he hadn’t seen in nearly a decade.
“I just lost it,” Williams explained to CBS News after seeing his mother on the show. “It finally got to that moment where the armpits started sweating and she just sat there and was like, ‘Hi!’ Yeah, it was beautiful. It was a beautiful moment.”