"I'm so proud of the struggles I’ve gone through": My Lottery Dream Home: David’s Happy Ending star David Bromstad discusses recovery and personal growth

My Lottery Dream Home: David’s Happy Ending premiered on December 19, 2025, giving viewers a peek into designer David Bromstad’s personal life, especially from a time when he had to check into a treatment facility to tackle his substance intake.

In an Instagram live interview with Ross Mathews on December 19, 2025, David opened up about his struggles with drugs, his personal growth, and sobriety, explaining why it was important that he shared his life experiences with the world. 

“Now it’s like, ‘I’m so proud of my shameful parts,' and I am so proud of the struggles I have gone through, and if this could help even one person– I needed people to understand that I’m human and I go through stuff,” he said.

In the December 19 special, viewers learned about a new side of David’s life, which included his battle with drugs that emerged after his Florida home was destroyed by a storm, compelling him to start afresh. 

Watching his dream home get destroyed was challenging for him, and so, he turned to drugs to cope with the situation. 

Through My Lottery Dream Home: David’s Happy Ending, David sought to reveal his true self to the audience, which was not always happy or enthusiastic. 

He admitted in his interview that it was more about personal growth, where he could own up to his struggles instead of hiding them behind a facade.

My Lottery Dream Home: David’s Happy Ending’s David Bromstad opens up about his wellness journey, admitting he’s not perfect

David started by expressing that the house reflected what he had been going through in his personal life. 

He admitted that when the storm flooded his house, he began mistreating himself, which was “numbing” his own “light,” but he could not understand why he spiraled and resorted to drugs. 

David recalled that even when the treatment facility asked him to explain why he was doing drugs, he could not explain the reason, convinced he was using substances because it was “fun.”

However, the “trauma-based rehab” helped him figure out the real reason behind his addiction, and the process compelled him to revisit parts of his life that he did not want to, including his childhood trauma of being bullied, family struggles, and more. 

David stated that his past experiences contributed to his detachment from his own existence. 

“I was so good at flying my shiny parts, you know, it got me through my childhood. That was one way to cope with being the person that I was – hiding in plain sight was to be super positive and happy, ‘cause if I was that, then no one was gonna look at me and say anything bad,” he explained.

The HGTV star noted that although it helped him get on television and through his childhood trauma, he slowly realized the long-term effects of suppressing his true identity. 

It was then that he concluded that he needed to recover and embark on a journey of personal growth, which was why taking time off at the rehabilitation center helped him. 

David then explained that My Lottery Dream Home: David’s Happy Ending was important to him because it was the first time he was talking about his own struggles instead of being ashamed of them. 

He added that he wanted people to see his personal growth and recovery from addiction – a side of him that had never been discussed before. 

David admitted that the image he portrayed on screen and on social media was intentional, but now, he wanted to reveal his vulnerable side and showcase that he was not perfect. 

The HGTV star explained that he grew from striving to be perfect to embracing the imperfect aspects of his being, saying it was the real journey one should focus on. 

“I needed to show my true, authentic self because that is the person I am, but listen, this did not come quickly or easily. This came with lots of thought,” he added. 

That said, he thanked the network for allowing him to tell his story and share the vulnerable parts of his personality that he kept hidden for so long. 

Stay tuned for more updates.