AceShowbiz -

Chris Klein finds himself lucky that his alcohol abuse didn't cost him his life. Nearly two years after he got arrested for driving under the influence for the second time, the actor who reprises his role as Chris Ostreicher in "American Reunion" finally comes clean about his extended battle with alcoholism.

Speaking of his alcohol abuse, the 33-year-old actor admitted in a new interview with PEOPLE, "It got to the point where I was a fragile shadow of the young man that came into this business." He further noted, "I would have died, and I think about that every single day." Having been sober for nearly 19 months, he gushed, "Today, I'm the luckiest guy alive."

Klein was first arrested for DUI in February 2005, around one month before he and then-fiancee Katie Holmes ended their engagement. He got busted again for the same reason in June 2010, and was sentenced to four days in prison. Five days after the second arrest, he enrolled in a 30-day alcohol addiction program at the Cirque Lodge.

During the sentencing, Klein apologized for his second DUI in five years. He told the judge, "I apologize for my wrongdoing and I really appreciate that the court gave me the opportunity to prove how seriously I took all of this." His attorney later told PEOPLE in a statement that the actor "has used this experience in such a positive way to get help to confront an addiction to alcohol."