Grant Hackett tells all
Onlyin ’S WOMAN DAY The troubled Olympic hero vows to “fix” his selfdestru destructive nature write LIZZIE WILSON and PHILLIP P KOCH
Just weeks ago, swimmer Grant Hackett revealed he was heading overseas to undergo a “treatment plan” after a series of shocking alcohol and prescription drug-induced incidents. But instead he chose to bypass formal rehab and spend time with Olympic legend Michael Phelps, which could be seen as dangerous. US star Michael may be the world’s best-ever swimmer, but he’s also had a well-documented b battle with drugs and alcohol, with photos emerging of him smoking a bong in 2009.
“People can speculate all they want,” Grant says in an exclusive interview with Woman’s Day from a secret location in the US.
“I have a plan in place for myself and my rehabilitation, and it’s going great. I don’t want anyone to know where I am, as I need to focus on myself and do what I need to do without negative distraction.
“I’m getting a lot out of being overseas, and the treatment is really great and constructive.”
With critics in Australia insisting the gold medal-winning Olympian needed rehab after he was arrested at his parents’ Gold Coast home in February, Grant flew to the US to seek the help everyone agrees he needs.
But he didn’t book himself into a rehab facility at all, instead accepting an offer from Michael, who reached out to him because he had suffered the same public humiliation and soul searching after he was caught drinkdriving and in possession of marijuana.
“MP has been [an] amazing support and help – we’re very close mates and he gets it,” explains Grant, who didn’t want to reveal the exact nature of
his “treatment”, but confirmed he was having “bespoke” therapy.
“There is only one type of rehab, and everything I’m doing is bespoke to me and my needs.
“As you know, I’m not an everyday addict by any means, but I have developed bad coping mechanisms under immense amounts of stress, and I need to develop the skills and strategies to take a new direction.”
Grant feels his tailored treatment plan, including private sessions with a counsellor, has been so effective he will never have to go to rehab again.
“I’m doing well and I will be better and have a bright future,” he says. “I’m not letting any of this cripple me or let people drag me down... that’s happened enough.”
The 36-year-old went straight from Australia to Arizona – where Michael lives with his wife Nicole and their baby boy, Boomer, on a “completely private and heavily secured” estate – so he could have some space to think.
“I have a plan in place for my mental health, and it’s a lot broader than just rehab,” Grant says.
“I am familiar with so many reformed addicts and their success stories, but my story is not an everyday drinking problem. It’s a binge problem that only happens under immense stress. “It’s these self-destructive coping mechanisms I need to change and need help with, which I’m doing and investing in heavily, as I don’t want this life at all. “And let’s be very clear – this is completely my initiative. I’ve made the choice to be here.” The Queensland-based champ says the main trigger for his binge drinking – and the embarrassing behaviour that has so often followed – has been the anguish he’s felt at not seeing more of his seven-year-old twins Jagger and Charlize, who live in Melbourne with their mum, Candice Alley.
He has also turned to Michael, 31, for help because he “feels he can’t trust anyone else” after what he sees as his family’s betrayal in February, when they went public about their concerns for his mental health.
“Publicly he’s understanding about his family calling the police on him, but privately he’s furious,” a friend reveals. “He feels his dad [Neville] and brother [Craig] betrayed him, and he will never forgive Craig because Craig told friends he didn’t trust Grant near his kid and that he has a violent streak.”
Grant does, however, remain close to his mum Margie, who has been devastated by his fall from grace, but believes her son is on the road to recovery and will redeem himself.
“He’s shown a lot of strength over the past few weeks and developed a plan in consultation with professionals to finally overcome these challenges that have been extremely difficult to manage,” Margie told Woman’s Day exclusively.
“No one really understands the challenges he has faced and what he has been put through [after his divorce].
“With Grant’s strength of character and determination we have no doubt he’ll get through this and be a stronger person for it, and continue to capitalise on the success that he has had professionally outside of swimming,” she adds.
“He sounds stronger every time we speak to him, and he’s making a lot of progress.”
‘My story is not an everyday drinking problem. It’s a binge problem’