WWE legend X-Pac opens up about his past addiction struggles and recovery.
Speaking to The Undertaker and Michelle McCool on the Six Feet Under podcast, WWE Hall of Famer X-Pac opened up about his past addiction struggles. He wanted to use the opportunity to share his story to help anyone going through the same things.
The Undertaker told him he’s proud of him for overcoming his addictions, which X-Pac initially believed was not possible. He also recalled Triple H and Vince McMahon spending money out of their own pockets to put him in rehab, only for him to relapse.
“I didn’t think it was going to happen for a while there, man. Because when you think you’re trying, well, you’re doing the best you can sometimes in those places. But I remember, there was one point where I called Paul (Levesque) for help, and he came out to LA. First of all, they couldn’t find me for a while. Paul put me up in a hotel until he could come out there, and then they couldn’t find me at the hotel,” X-Pac began.
“He came out and flew me to Atlanta and put me in rehab. Him and Vince paid for it out of their own pocket, and I just took a big giant crap on that help they gave me. I got high in the rehab place. They kicked me out of the rehab place.
X-Pac reflects on substance use and sobriety
Speaking further, X-Pac shared that his addiction issues culminated after some tough times in Mexico. He lived there with his then-girlfriend at the time, and at one point, attempted to end his life. However, after recovering, Kevin Nash flew him back to Houston, where he underwent rehab.
“I usually don’t tear up when I talk about this. I don’t know why I’m so emotional about it now because I’ve talked about it so much. But she saved me. I was without oxygen for a while, and they induced me into a coma to protect my brain. They thought my brain was done, like, too much brain damage. And so I was in a coma for three days.
“I come out of it, and I’m strapped to a table, and I’m freaking. I’m like, ‘What the hell is going on here?’ And finally, mind you, I’m strapped, but I also have a tube down my throat. I’m intubated. I got told what happened, and things started coming back. The memory started coming back. Big Kev (Kevin Nash) flew down and flew me to Houston,” X-Pac continued.
“And there’s a great place in Houston called Menninger Clinic. It’s a three-month stay, and I’m not going to say I begged, but I was like, ‘Please let me stay longer.’ It was great, and I got so much out of it.”
He relapsed after having to stay alone in Mexico
“But then I left there, and I went right back to Mexico into the same apartment. My girl, she had left, by the way. And so I was there alone in this apartment. It was like a really crazy, like, stupid thing to do. Put myself back in there. So I ended up back, getting messed up again, using, drinking, doing whatever for a while,” X-Pac went on.
“And then I got a call to go do TNA when Hulk (Hogan) and Kevin, you know, Eric (Bischoff) went down there. They called me to come do that, and I left Mexico. I left all my stuff in Mexico, and I never came back. I’ve never been back to Mexico since.”
X-Pac then revealed Maria Menounos and her husband took him in when he moved back to Los Angeles. They got him in touch with a hypnotherapist, and the treatment helped him a lot in his recovery.
“And finally, fast forward, I moved back to LA. Maria Menounos and her husband, Kevin, they took me in, supported me, and let me be a part of their world. They hooked me up with a hypnotherapist. Just all the right people to be around,” X-Pac said.
X-Pac still uses cannabis without it being an addiction
“I’ve been punishing myself. I left my kids and my wife and hurt a lot of people, not meaning to, but caused a lot of pain. So I was ashamed of myself for that. And I thought I deserved to suffer. And I finally felt like I paid in full. Like, you do a crime, you get put in jail, and when you’re getting out. Like, you get that sentence. I felt like, ‘OK, my sentence is up.’ And ever since, it’s been great,” X-Pac continued.
“And it was gradual. I’d still have a drink or like a beer or something back then. But I just quit doing all that. I still use cannabis. But I have a totally different relationship with cannabis now, you know, just being the Cheech and Chong’s donor.
X-Pac is currently helping people going through the same struggles
Speaking further, X-Pac said, “I owe it. I feel an obligation to pass it on and help people I see struggling with those things.” He revealed he works with his friend to send people from the wrestling industry, who are dealing with the same struggles, to the Blueprints for Addiction Recovery facility in Pennsylvania. He helps them even if they don’t have insurance.
He also raises awareness among the talent he mentors in the WWE ID program. Describing his life after recovery, X-Pac said, “I feel like this is the best version of myself that’s ever been on this earth. And the big reward for all this, besides getting my relationship back with my kids and having a grandson. My marriage. I have the happiest marriage.”
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