Taylor Frankie Paul<\/strong><\/a> try to co-parent their 20-month-old son, Ever, following their 2024 breakup. But their already-strained dynamic hit another level during the December 4 reunion, where Taylor and her parents confronted Dakota after an alleged inappropriate relationship with a family friend.<\/p>\nDespite how chaotic the taping looked from the outside, Dakota said his sobriety has never wavered \u2014 even if people assumed otherwise. \u201cFor me, I am proud of myself because I have stayed sober through some of the most hardest s*** I\u2019ve ever been through in my entire life. Even in that situation or that setting,\u201d he said. \u201cThat is why it\u2019s so hard on me. I am actually facing a lot of those situations and settings sober for the first time ever in my life.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n<\/blockquote>\nHe described the intense pressure he felt while cameras rolled. \u201cMy body is in full fight or flight mode the entire time,\u201d he added. \u201cI\u2019ve been sober this whole time and apparently, to everybody else in the world, I\u2019m not, and honestly, it hurts.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dakota also pushed back on several behind-the-scenes accusations online \u2014 including claims that he had reunion-stage \u201cpower\u201d or advance knowledge that Taylor\u2019s parents would appear. He said he had neither, calling the moment \u201cblindside, blindside, blindside, blindside.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t even want to go,\u201d he admitted. \u201cI also had a cease and desist so when you see me stuttering trying to explain stuff, my bad. I\u2019ve never had one of those in my life. I\u2019m petrified. I don\u2019t know s***. I\u2019m sitting here, scared to death to say anything.\u201d<\/p>\n
While he didn\u2019t reveal who sent the legal notice, Dakota did receive support from fellow creators. \u201cProud of you brother!\u201d Zac Affleck<\/strong> commented, while Chase McWhorter<\/strong> praised him for overcoming \u201cone of the hardest things possible.\u201d<\/p>\nBefore wrapping his video, Dakota thanked those who reached out with kindness rather than criticism. \u201cI\u2019m super thankful for all the people that checked in on me and made sure that I was OK and didn\u2019t continue to just be bullies,\u201d he said. \u201cI hope you guys never go through something really hard because I promise you I will never actually do what you guys have done to me, ever. When you\u2019re down, I\u2019m not going to s*** on you when you\u2019re down even if I don\u2019t like you.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n