Stone Cold Steve Austin is one of the most iconic names in pro wrestling historybut life after the ring wasnt all celebrations and success.
While speaking to Dale Earnhardt Jr.s Dirty Mo Media, Austin opened up in brutally honest fashion about the dark reality that followed his in-ring retirement in 2003. Forced out due to serious injuries, including a spinal cord bruise that briefly left him a transient quadriplegic, Austin admitted the end of his wrestling career hit him like a freight train.
He recalled how hard he pushed himselfpersonally and professionallyand how those years took a toll:
Despite the damage to his body and brain, Austin was reluctant to let go. But after getting clearance from a Philadelphia spinal specialist to return, he gave it another rununtil it became clear he had to walk away for good.
Thats when things started to unravel.
That moment was a turning point. Austin realized he needed to make a real change. Wrestling was no longer an option, but he wasnt about to go back to the life he had before fame.
He packed up and moved in with Diamond Dallas Page in Los Angeles but admitted that even then, he spent nearly a year still drinking heavily and wasting time.
Austins real re-entry into something meaningful came through wrestling againjust in a different way. WWE asked him to host Tough Enough on the USA Network. That offer gave him purpose and allowed him to reconnect with the industry on his own terms.
Although the show only lasted one season, it was exactly what he needed, That helped me out a whole lot. Austin then shifted into other ventureshis Broken Skull Challenge TV show, a successful beer brand, and a hit podcast that allowed him to share stories with fellow athletes and entertainers. While his road wasnt clean or easy, it was realand thats what makes Stone Cold one of the most enduring figures in sports entertainment history.
From global superstardom to hitting rock bottom and pulling himself back up again, Austins journey after retirement is a reminder that even legends arent immune to lifes hardest punches.
What do you think of Stone Colds journey? Do you think pro wrestlers today are better prepared for life after the ring? Drop your thoughts in the comments and let us know.
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