But the heart of Curtis’s tribute lies far beyond their professional success. She speaks openly about the moment that changed her life forever, calling Richard Lewis “the reason I am sober.” Not symbolically. Literally. At a time when addiction was tightening its grip, Lewis intervened—not with drama or lectures, but with quiet insistence and genuine care. He refused to let her fade away. That single act, she has said without hesitation, saved her life.
Their friendship only deepened as they stood together through loss, particularly the losses tied to addiction that haunt Hollywood. They became confidants, allies, and witnesses to each other’s struggles. Even in his final days, Lewis was still thinking ahead. One of his last messages to Curtis wasn’t about himself—it was about legacy. He asked her to push ABC and Disney to release more episodes of Anything But Love, not for recognition, but so the work—and the memories—would live on.
Curtis honors the man he ultimately became: sober, grounded, deeply loving, and devoted to his wife, Joyce Lapinsky. Her words paint a portrait not of a comedy icon, but of a man who showed extraordinary courage in the quietest ways—by asking for help, telling the truth, and offering compassion when it mattered most.
Her tribute doesn’t aim for composure, and it doesn’t need to. It reminds us that the most important roles in life are rarely credited, and the most meaningful love stories aren’t romantic—they’re redemptive. In remembering Richard Lewis, Jamie Lee Curtis also delivers a powerful reminder: one person’s care, offered at the right moment, can change another person’s life forever.
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