The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City’s Heather Gay and Meredith Marks are rallying around their costar Mary Cosby.
The Bravolebrities praised Mary, 52, and her son, Robert Jr., 21, for their emotional discussion about his mental health and substance abuse issues on the Wednesday, November 27, episode of RHOSLC.
“It was completely compelling television, and it kind of brought me back to why we watch reality TV in the first place,” Heather, 50, said on Wednesday’s Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen. “For people to tell their stories and for their stories to have impact.”
For Meredith, watching the sitdown between Mary and her son helped explain some of Mary’s behavior during RHOSLC season 5. In one explosive moment earlier this season, Meredith stormed out of Mary’s house after being asked to leave during a Breakfast at Tiffany’s-themed brunch.
“I did not know in real-time,” Meredith, 52, said of Robert Jr.’s issues. “I had no idea. It makes me very sad I didn’t know in real-time because I went through a very similar circumstance a couple of years back with my nephew and I feel like I could’ve been a big support to Mary.”
The Meredith Marks Caviar founder added, “It was very sad to me that I was unable to be there for her. I did note that she seemed different, that something seemed slightly off.”
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WWHL host Andy Cohen noted that he spoke to Mary before Wednesday’s episode of his late-night talk show and she told him that “Robert Jr. is doing well.”
RHOSLC offered an intimate moment between Mary and Robert Jr. as he came clean about his substance abuse and mental health struggles during Wednesday’s episode.
“I’m taking Xanax,” Robert Jr. said. “I just take half to chill me out and then I had an Adderall to balance out the Xanax.”
Mary asked her son if he was “unhappy,” to which Robert Jr. responded that sometimes he feels like “life is just chicken unseasoned.”
“When I get high, it’s like adding seasoning to it,” he explained, revealing that this has been going on since he was 16 years old. Mary listened to her son through tears.
“At first, I was like, ‘I’m going to just stick to natural stuff.’ Then, I went to a party, and someone gave me Xanax,” he recalled. “I started buying it. Then, I started doing Xanax with Acid and then Molly with Xanax. I really like Xanax so I mix it with everything. Xanax and cocaine.”
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Robert Jr. continued, “You know the regular 30mg Oxys? I noticed … this was like, a turning point for me. I was taking 10 at once and I couldn’t even feel it.”
Mary started crying, telling her son that she would never “judge” him.
Robert Jr. also told Mary that he “wanted to die” at one point in his life and Mary was the “only reason” he didn’t die by suicide.
“I just felt like a stain,” he said. “I just felt like this world wasn’t for me.”
Days before Wednesday’s RHOSLC episode aired, Mary offered an update on Robert Jr. exclusively to Us Weekly.
“He’s steady, which I think is good,” she shared. “It’s a heavy topic. But for me, because it all just came at once on me and I didn’t expect it, but I’m taking it day by day.”
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
