Following the passing of comedian and actor Richard Lewis at the age of 76, his friend and former castmate Jamie Lee Curtis took to Instagram to pay a heartfelt tribute to him. In her emotional post, Curtis revealed that Lewis played a pivotal role in her journey to sobriety, crediting him with her milestone achievement, CNN reports.

“He also is the reason I am sober. He helped me. I am forever grateful for him for that act of grace alone.”

Curtis shared that Lewis had reached out to her recently, expressing his hope for another boxed set release of their show “Anything but Love,” in which they starred together. She highlighted Lewis's instrumental support in her battle with addiction, stating that he was the reason she achieved sobriety. Curtis, who recently celebrated 25 years of being sober, acknowledged Lewis's own struggles with addiction, which he candidly addressed in his standup routines and memoir.

Reflecting on their time working together on “Anything But Love,” Curtis reminisced about the chemistry between them during auditions. Despite the show initially facing challenges, the undeniable rapport between Curtis and Lewis led to a revamp of the pilot and the eventual creation of the series.

Lewis's impact extended beyond his professional collaborations, as evidenced by the outpouring of tributes from colleagues and friends. Larry David, Lewis's co-star on “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” described him as “a brother,” emphasizing the deep bond they shared.

The passing of Richard Lewis marks the end of an era in comedy, but his legacy lives on through the lives he touched, particularly through his support and influence on those battling addiction, like Jamie Lee Curtis.