Jake Roberts is approaching 14 years of sobriety, and according to Diamond Dallas Page, the WWE Hall of Famer is now thriving both personally and professionally.
Speaking on Wrestling Life with Ben Veal, Page shared an update on Roberts’ recovery journey and revealed that Roberts has reunited with his ex-wife, Cheryl Roberts. The couple has even begun appearing together at fan autograph signings.
“We’re coming up on the 14th year of Jake being sober, and I don’t even think about it anymore,” Page said. “I could have a drink around him or whatever. He don’t care.”
Page admitted that during the early years of Roberts’ sobriety, he constantly worried about the possibility of a relapse. According to Page, it took roughly five years before he felt confident Roberts had truly turned the corner. “There’s certain guys, you wonder, ‘God, I hope he doesn’t go back again,’” Page said. “And I felt like that about Jake for about five years, but now we’re coming up on the 14th year of Jake being sober, and I don’t even think about it anymore.”
Page also recalled how Roberts used to rationalize drinking before his recovery journey. “He really used to say, ‘I’m a man. I can. I deserve three beers. I could have three beers,’” Page said. “And at some point I said, ‘When you’re really a man, it’ll be, I don’t need three beers. I don’t want three beers, because I know what comes after that, and it’s never any good.’”
Roberts’ transformation was documented in the 2015 film The Resurrection of Jake the Snake, which chronicled his time living at Page’s accountability house in Atlanta. The documentary captured Roberts at one of the lowest points of his life and followed his recovery through the use of Page’s fitness program and structured support system.
Page has since helped numerous wrestling veterans through similar recovery programs, including projects featured on his YouTube series Change or Die.
Page also revealed that Roberts and Cheryl Roberts have reconciled and are now appearing together at fan conventions.
Cheryl was well known to wrestling fans during the late 1980s when she appeared on-screen during Roberts’ feud with Rick Rude in World Wrestling Federation storylines.
During the discussion, Page emphasized that forgiveness and second chances were key parts of Roberts’ journey and his own philosophy. “Not forgiving someone is like you swallowing poison and expecting the other person to die,” Page said. “I’m much too easy on so many people. There’s certain people I won’t talk to anymore, but I’m not mad. I’m disappointed. But it’s not worth it.”
Roberts, now 70 years old, continues to make public appearances and remains widely regarded as one of the most inspiring recovery stories in the history of professional wrestling.
