The Real Housewives of Orange County alum Braunwyn Windham-Burke credits Below Deck Med’s Captain Sandy Yawn for her sobriety and saving her life.
Captain Sandy has spoken openly about her past with alcohol and drug addiction since she joined Below Deck Mediterranean. The famous captain has been sober for nearly 34 years.
In 2020 Braunwyn opened up about her own struggle with alcohol, admitting Captain Sandy played a big part in the RHOC star getting a handle on her addiction. New details have emerged thanks to Braunwyn regarding just the words that Captain Sandy said that changed her life forever.
RHOC alum Braunwyn Windham-Burke credits Captain Sandy Yawn for life-changing advice
It took three times and ten years for Braunwyn to get sober. She admitted that when she stopped by Behind the Velvet Rope with David Yontef podcast.
The Bravo personality explained she had tried to get sober before, but it didn’t stick. This time it wasn’t that she stopped drinking but rather that Braunwyn went to a meeting.
“So, I was 30 days sober, but I mean, Captain Sandy, I actually met her finally,” Braunwyn expressed. “But I saw her for the first time, and I just started crying. We were at a gala in Texas because she saved my life because she said, if you get sober on camera, then you’re accountable. And I think that’s what saved my life. Because once I said it on film, I couldn’t go out and take it back. I couldn’t get drunk. I knew people would be watching.”
While on a ski trip detoxing with her family, Braunwyn revealed things got really bad for her. Braunwyn was struggling not to drink and fight through the detox, which prompted her to call Captain Sandy.
The captain held Braunwyn accountable for her actions, including her not being real on camera about her sobriety.
“She said you had no problem getting drunk on camera. Why are you having such a hard time getting sober?” Braunwyn shared.
Braunwyn believes Below Deck Med’s Captain Sandy saved her from death
The former Real Housewives of Orange County went on to reveal Captain Sandy made it clear if Braunwyn wanted to get and stay sober, it had to be on camera, too, for accountability.
After speaking to the captain, Braunwyn got in touch with the RHOC showrunner to say she was going to speak her truth on the show, calling herself an alcoholic for the first time.
Although she was fine discussing her alcoholism on The Real Housewives of Orange County, she didn’t want it to be her main storyline. The showrunner agreed.
Looking back, Braunwyn truly believes if she hadn’t called Captain Sandy that day for advice, she would not be here today.
“I know for a fact if that moment hadn’t occurred, if Captain Sandy hadn’t put me on the trajectory, if I hadn’t had the ownership, if I hadn’t had all of that, I know when I would have fallen off the wagon and I don’t think I would have survived the pandemic. I think I would drink myself to death because I was drinking that much at the end. It was bad,” Braunwyn said.
These days Braunwyn Windham-Burke remains focused on sobriety while living her best life with her unconventional family. As for Captain Sandy Yawn, she also continues to work hard for her sobriety, especially when she is filming the hit yachting show.
Below Deck Mediterranean is currently on hiatus.