The MTV special “I Won’t Love You to Death: The Story of Mario and His Mom” reveals Mario’s secret, life-long battle with his drug-addicted mother.

“Through it all, there’s been this monkey on my back, this burden, and that’s been my mother’s drug addiction,” he confesses. “Whether I’m on stage, whether I’m accepting an award or on a flight to wherever I’m going, this is always on my mind.”

The hourlong special shows how Mario has struggled to find a way to cope with and change his mother SHAWN’s troubled life. At the age of 20, Mario found himself acting as a parent to his own mother by providing a home for her and paying her expenses. Constantly questioning where the money is going, Mario is at a crossroads to determine whether he’s really the doing the best thing for her. With the help of an interventionist, Shawn’s boyfriend and a close family friend; Mario prepares for one of the toughest days of his life as he finally confronts his mom on camera and offers her the gift of rehab.

“I Won’t Love You to Death: The Story of Mario and His Mom” airs at 10 p.m. Sunday on MTV.