Mike 'The Situation' Sorrentino Is 'Grateful' to Make It to His 40s After Sobriety Struggles: 'I Was So Wild'

The 'Jersey Shore' star opened up to PEOPLE about how his life has changed for the better, including eight years of sobriety and a loving family with wife Lauren Sorrentino

By

Kelly Wynne

and

Henry Chandonnet

Published on August 3, 2023 12:16PM EDT

Michael "The Situation" Sorrentino attends MTV's Jersey Shore Family Vacation NYC Premiere Party — Photo:
Santiago Felipe/Getty Images for MTV

Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino is leading with gratitude.

The Jersey Shore: Family Vacation star spoke with PEOPLE at the show’s premiere Wednesday, reflecting on what turning 41 last month meant to him.

“I'll be honest with you. I'm happy to make it this far,” Sorrentino said. “I was so wild in my twenties and thirties that being the family man that I am today — being eight years sober in December, a dad of two, married five years in a happy, healthy marriage — I'm killing the game.”

Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino visits SiriusXM at SiriusXM Studios — Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Sorrentino also reflected on his early MTV days, when the Jersey Shore cast was synonymous with wild partying. “Because when I was younger, I was doing the most, and I'm very grateful to make it this far,” he added.

The reality star celebrated his 41st birthday on the Fourth of July in a joint celebration for his daughter’s first holiday. Sorrentino’s wife, Lauren Sorrentino, shared a sweet family photo of the holiday on Instagram, featuring their two children, Romeo Reign, 2, and Mia Belle, 8 months.

After just four years sober, Sorrentino committed to making an impact for others in the sober community. The reality star and his wife partnered with Banyan Treatment Centers “to spread awareness about substance abuse and the disease of addiction,” Sorrentino told PEOPLE at the time.

“Also, we want to shed light on the fact that there are positive stories out there — we do recover,” explained Sorrentino, who served an eight-month prison sentence for tax evasion in 2019. “Most importantly, the comeback is truly greater than the setback.”

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A new season of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation premieres Thursday at 8 p.m. on MTV.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.