Jared Padalecki’s Ups and Downs Through the Years: From ‘Supernatural’ Success to Shocking Car Accident

usmagazine.com:

Leaving an impression. Jared Padalecki has experienced career success with roles in Gilmore Girls and Supernatural — but the actor has also had people talking off screen.After rising to stardom for playing Dean Forester in Gilmore Girls, Padalecki made a transition to The CW’s Supernatural in 2005.

The Texas native and his costar Jensen Ackles quickly won over fans with the fictional brother bond between Sam Winchester and Dean Winchester.After a decade on the small screen as Sam, Padalecki made headlines when he got candid about his personal battle with depression. “I, in the past, have had my own struggles of not [being] so happy with where I am in life,” he told Variety in March 2015. “Maybe a lot of people don’t know this, but season 3, we were shooting an episode, and I went back to my trailer to get changed and just kind of broke down.”The New York Minute actor continued: “A doctor came to set and talked to me for about 30 minutes or 45 minutes and said, ‘Jared, I think you’re clinically depressed.

I think I should write you a note and we can shut down production for five days and then we can take it from there.'”The experience inspired Padalecki’s online campaign titled Always Keep Fighting.

The online fundraiser featured a shirt for fans to purchase in order to support the nonprofit To Write Love On Her Arms — an organization that offers outreach to people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide.“There’s no shame in having to fight every day,” Padalecki told Variety at the time. “But fighting every day, and presumably, if you’re still alive to hear these words or read this interview, then you are winning your war.