Former WWE star Michael Tarver (real name Tyrone Evans) revealed on Instagram that he was hospitalized Wednesday night after fearing he was experiencing a stroke. Thankfully, Tarver has since been discharged and is recovering, expressing gratitude to those who urged him to seek medical help and reflecting on his ongoing personal and mental health struggles.
“Last night I was told I was having a stroke,” Tarver wrote alongside a photo of himself in a hospital bed. He explained that he initially kept his symptoms private until he was “forced to” get help, noting that his blood pressure reached a dangerously high 202/114 before he went to the emergency room. “I’m thankful for your persistence and also that I actually listened,” he added, addressing those who convinced him to seek care.
Tarver rose to prominence as a member of The Nexus, one of WWE’s most memorable factions. He was part of the inaugural season of the original NXT competition series and was among the eight rookies who infamously invaded Monday Night Raw in June 2010. As part of The Nexus, Tarver was featured in a major storyline involving John Cena and Team WWE, culminating in the SummerSlam 2010 main event.
His run was cut short later that year after suffering a groin injury. He was written off television following an on-screen attack by Cena and officially released from his WWE contract in June 2011.
In his emotional post, Tarver also discussed his two-decade battle with depression and suicidal thoughts, revealing that his recent health scare forced him to confront his mortality. “While in the hospital, I started to have thoughts about my mortality,” he wrote. “I’ve been fighting depression and suicide attempts over the past 20 years.”
He credited his family and faith for helping him find strength during the ordeal. “I thought about my family and I just felt this overwhelming responsibility to get up out of that bed and live,” he continued. “I haven’t shared this much detail with anyone as I am still processing all of the weird emotions I’m being overcome with, but the sun came up and so did I. Thank you, Jesus.”
All of us at PWMania send our best wishes to Michael Tarver and hope for his continued recovery and well-being.
