In the midst of a custody dispute with her ex-husband Matthew Lawrence, Cheryl Burke is expressing thanks for her dog.
The 38-year-old Dancing with the Stars pro stated that she "can't picture living without" her dog Ysabella as she reflected on how the French bulldog has assisted her in keeping her sober through the highs and lows of her three-year marriage.
She stated on Instagram, "I have to give credit to my puppy, Ysabella, for keeping me going a lot of the time. The belief in a power higher than me continually allows me to maintain the course when things get hard." "Yes, I'm a full-fledged "dog parent," and I'm not embarrassed to admit it!
There have been days when going through a public divorce made me want to just remain in bed and hide, and the thought of numbing my feelings with a vodka soda can sound very alluring. But because Ysabella is so energetic, she pushes me to go for walks outside frequently throughout the day. I honestly can't fathom life without her by my side always; she loves it when I play with her," Burke stated.
She revealed that the night of her engagement party in 2018, just after the passing of her father, who was also an alcoholic, marked the start of her sober journey. She "would become red and break out in hives" whenever she drank after burying her father in Thailand.
Since being married in May 2019, Burke and Lawrence, 42, have seen many ups and downs in their lives, according to Burke, who achieved four years of sobriety in August. She added, "I would be lying if I said it was simple; yet, I am ultimately delighted that I completed it all sober.
Unless Lawrence "calls it off," the Burke In the Game podcast host said on an episode earlier this month that they will "maybe go to trial" over custody of Ysabella in January.
A request for comment from PEOPLE was not immediately answered by the lawyers for Burke and Lawrence.
Burke fought back tears as she described the circumstance from Disney+ Night on DWTS to Entertainment Tonight, saying, "Oh, I'm going to cry. You know, it's just really sad.
Burke continued, "It stinks because it's simply horrible to me." "I hope that this soon, you know, dies down, and he calls it off. She's my puppy, and it was a present from my ex. due to the fact that you are removing my daughter from my arms.
