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Steve-O begs 'Jackass' star Bam Margera to get sober in emotional post: 'You're dying, brother'

TV personalities Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, and Steve-O at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards.
TV personalities Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, and Steve-O at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards. (Photo: FilmMagic)

Steve-O fears he's watching his former Jackass co-star, Bam Margera, die before his eyes. In an emotional plea on Instagram, Steve-O begged his friend to stop doing drugs and "choose recovery." Margera's struggle with alcohol and drugs has been well-documented over the years.

"Bam, last night you had your five year old son with you on stage at my show, and you were blessed with the chance to spend another day or two with him — then as soon as you left my show, you stayed up all night getting loaded..." Steve-O, who marks 15 years of sobriety next month, commented on Margera's Instagram page. Margera shares 5-year-old son, Phoenix, with wife, Nikki Boyd.

"You say you want to have a relationship with your son, but your actions guarantee the exact opposite will happen. I brought you on tour with me in hopes that I could get you to see what's possible for you if you choose recovery," Steve-O continued. The comedian said he's "tried everything" he can to get through to his friend, "but I can't force you to get honest and do the work of recovery."

Steve-O added: "I wish you could know how much I've hated feeling braced for news of your death, but you’re making it clear that I have no other choice. You're dying, brother, and it sucks that I can't do anything to save you."

Steve-O invited Margera to join his comedy tour after the latter revealed he was "pronounced dead" on Dec. 8.

"Did not know that I had gnarly COVID and my body was shutting down. I went into four seizures, each one lasting 10 to 20 minutes. And on the fourth one I bit my tongue so hard it was nearly fallen off. It got so swollen and puffy it wouldn't fit in my mouth. And I was drinking the infected blood, which gave me pneumonia as well," Margera revealed on Steve-O's podcast Wild Ride!. The pro skateboarder was hospitalized for eight days.

Margera's addiction battle has played out publicly over the last several years. In 2022, he fled court-mandated rehab and was reported missing. The entertainer's wife publicly asked him to sober up, too.

Margera launched to fame as part of the Jackass franchise when it debuted in 2000. He was largely absent from 2021's Jackass Forever. Margera was fired from the project after testing positive for Adderall.

"We wanted him all throughout the movie, but unfortunately that’s not the way it worked out. It’s really heartbreaking. I love Bam. We all love Bam. He’s our brother, you know? You just hope that he takes it upon himself to get the help that he needs because we all care about him a lot," said Johnny Knoxville.

Margera sued the studio and Knoxville for wrongful termination, but the case was settled last year.