S22.E17: Travis

[Enero]

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Travis turns a modest lawn-mowing business into a multimillion-dollar landscaping company; within a few short years, everything he works so hard to build crumbles amid the chaos of his now-daily use of lethal amounts of crack cocaine.

 

[Enero]

Travis’ story was so sad. Such amazing business success and life only to allow it to be destroyed by drugs. He’s definitely self medicating due to his diagnosis. As I understood he was diagnosed with ADHD as a child. However, his mom didn’t allow him to be treated with Ritalin, ironically enough, due to his father’s addiction issues. She didn’t want to open the door for him to become an addict. But I don’t know what he was treated with for the disorder or if he was treated at all. And he’s obviously not correctly treating it now. Hence his cocaine addiction. 

All that said, him blaming his wife for all he’s worked for being gone was typical addict behavior in blaming others for their destroyed life and not taking any responsibility for what’s happened. The mom was in just as much denial as Travis. She really believed he’d calmly listen to what they had to say and go to rehab. She was sorely mistaken. Thankfully she realized she wasn’t helping him with her behavior and called the police. 

Was the dark haired woman who ran after him when they tried to do the intervention, then dropped him off at the airport his girlfriend? I just thought it was odd that she ran him down at the intervention and subsequently dropped him off at the airport. I’d think his ex would’ve been playing that role. Seems like there might’ve been more there than friendship. And even more strange she seemed close to the wife too. Anyway, I’m glad he went to treatment but question whether he’s really clean considering he declined to participate in the follow up. I’m just glad him and his ex never had any kids of their own to bring into that mess. Hope he’s really sober.

 

[chenoa333]

I haven t seen this episode yet. Sounds like an interesting one! 

Who was the interventionist? I really like Candy Finnegan but she doesn't seem to be on very much anymore.

[Elizzikra]

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 really like Candy Finnegan but she doesn't seem to be on very much anymore.

The new episodes have all been in Canada and seem to have their own team of interventionists. I love Candy but I think I've only ever seen her do one intervention in Canada. She seems to work mostly in the States. And where is my friend Jeff Van Vonderen?

 

[sara416]

This was so sad. I'm honestly surprised he is still sober. I could be wrong, but I assume that he refused the follow up interview because he was angry at the show and the people in his life who participated in the intervention. If he is still that angry months later, it doesn't bode well for continued sobriety. Most people at that point can look back and see that this was done to help them. Early on in the show he was even able to say that work was his co-addiction and he went from one to the other. I am glad for him if he is sober, but there were a lot of underlying issues there that he needed to take care of. 

[Red Bridey]

One thing I noticed: he never went hungry! I was craving Mom's little butter tarts and those ginormous veal chops. Gah, my mouth was watering!

[pasdetrois]

Intervention has always had two sets of interventionists: Canadian and US. In the early days, the Canadian series wasn't accessible in the US.

Jeff V. struggled with his own sobriety a while back and seems to have disappeared from the show.

I was struck by what Travis said about cocaine calming him down, or something like that. I believe Ritalin is a stimulant that has the same calming effect on hyperactivity.

The mother seemed entitled. She was determined that nobody tell her what to do, even in trying to save her son's life.

[theajw]

On 7/7/2021 at 9:52 PM, Red Bridey said:

One thing I noticed: he never went hungry! I was craving Mom's little butter tarts and those ginormous veal chops. Gah, my mouth was watering!

You can tell it's a Canadian episode if there's a scene with butter tarts.

Note: I'm American, but only know about them because of my proximity to the Canadian border growing up.  Whenever I make them for friends and colleagues, no one knows what they are.  

[TVbitch]

I don't find Maureen to be a particularly strong interventionist. They maybe should have given this guy the ballbuster lady. 

[mythoughtis]

Another clueless Mom doing everything for her little 48 year old boy.   She needed to listen to her husband, the former addict who had been through rehab.  They needed the interventionist with all the tattoos for this guy.