Rob Lowe celebrates 25 years of sobriety and 'a life of promise'

LOS ANGELES, May 12 (UPI) -- For Rob Lowe, this year's Mother's Day meant a little more -- 25 years of freedom from alcohol addiction.

The 51-year-old actor tweeted a message of encouragement Sunday to commemorate his accomplishment.

"To those struggling with addiction, there is true, real hope. 25 years ago today, I found recovery; and a life of promise," he wrote, adding the hashtag "#grateful."

Rightfully so. The ever-youthful entertainer will star in two shows on two networks next season, including his newest project, The Grinder, which was just picked up by Fox.

The optimistic Parks and Recreation actor wasn't always in the green concerning public image. In 1988, his career took a turn for the worst when a sex-tape featuring him, a friend and two women (one who turned out to be 16-years-old), emerged. In an interview with Oprah, he admitted that the tape's recovery was one of the best things that ever happened to him.

"Because what it ends up doing is accelerating my alcohol [addiction] to where I finally get sober," Lowe said, followed by a roar of applause from the audience.

But what really prompted him to clean up was love. He told Haute Living last year that meeting his wife of over 20 years, Sheryl Berkoff, inspired him to change.

"[I] was attempting my first try at monogamy -- which was not really in my nature at the time -- and I wasn't able to do it," he told the magazine. "It made me examine how I was living my life. That led me to getting sober, which led me to changing my life -- giving me everything I now have."

The humble Lowe now has two college-aged children with whom he remains engaged and active, as well as a healthy marriage and a promising career. He is also a published author, aiming to inspire others into lifestyles healthier for physical and mental well-being.

"I really believe that age is what you make it, and that designing your life is important," he said. "I wrote a book about it -- 'Love Life' -- and intrinsic in it is the question 'What makes life worth living?'"

"For me, that's staying active, engaged, and optimistic. Everything else will take care of itself."