Rob Garofalo gives credit to his little dog Fred for helping him get his life back on track after he had bottomed out.

In a slightly NSFW video posted on YouTube, the Chicago man talks about going through a bitter breakup, battling drug addiction, and an HIV diagnosis. At his lowest point, Garofalo entertained the idea of adopting a dog.

"I was sitting in my bed, really not sure if I was going to make it past another day and I don't know what got into my head, but I was like, 'Maybe I should get a dog.'"

He laughed, noting that the idea was simply irrational.

"What would make me think I could take care of a dog," he said. "I couldn't even take care of myself."

Life didn't change instantly, but as he explains in the video, Garofalo said things gradually began to get better.

The night terrors that he'd been suffering after a vicious attack grew less frequent and Garofalo was able to get his substance abuse issues under control

As his dog Fred became more on an integral part of his life, Garofalo decided it was time to help others. His charity, dubbed "Fred Says" is dedicated to helping young people whose lives have been touched by HIV.

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Since its inception, Fred Says has raised over $300,000 which Garofalo says has been donated to charitable organizations.

To learn more, visit this website.

 

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