Marc Mero has opened up about the darkest period of his life following his wrestling career, sharing a deeply personal story of struggle, depression, and eventual recovery.
Speaking with Chris Van Vliet, Mero described how life after wrestling led him down a difficult path.
“First of all, life after wrestling was really dark. That’s when I really fell into drugs again, walked away from God, just lived a horrible life. Just didn’t care. I let myself go out of shape, out of money, out of time. It was just where I remember that it came to the point where I just didn’t want to be here anymore, losing so many people in my life, and then, of course, going through the divorce and going through all that again. It’s just the depression got so bad, and I had anger issues also on top of that, you know, because you blame other people, and you live with this bitterness and this resentment, and all these things that come together just weigh on you, and you just feel it.”
Mero continued by recalling a moment where he reached a breaking point and contemplated ending his life.
“I know someone out there is listening to this right now that’s going, I went through that, or maybe I’m going through that right now, and it came to the point where I just remember that I just wanted to end it. It was Christmas Day, and I drove to Cocoa Beach, Florida on Christmas Day, and I sat under a pier, and I remember the waves just rolling in and out and just thinking, I don’t want to be here anymore. I had no place to go. I mean, Christmas was always so big in my life, many of our friends have passed on through the wrestling and, of course, going through the divorce and all the heartache I went through, I remember just wanting to end it all, and then, if it wasn’t for me getting on my knees and asking Christ back into my life. I remember just begging him for forgiveness and thinking to myself, What am I going to do? I’m basically starting over again.”
He explained how rebuilding his life began with small steps, including finding work and gradually regaining stability.
“So I get a job. That’s where I got a job at Gold’s Gym as a trainer, and started, and then this thing started getting better and better and next thing you know, when the schools thing opened up. But let me get back to that little office building I’ve bought for 200 grand, because it’s part of the story.”
Mero also reflected on how his life eventually turned around in unexpected ways.
“So fast forward. Now, all these years later, I have this little building that I recently sold four years ago, but I held the note. I was the bank, okay, and they gave me a huge down payment, and they have to pay X amount of money for 10 years. And there’s a balloon payment. And the way the Lord works this balloon payment is $214,000, exactly what I bought it for all those years ago.”
He closed by offering encouragement to others who may be struggling.
“So it’s an incredible story, but it’s just how my life has turned out, that those things, you wonder how this happened. I don’t believe in coincidence. I really believe that things are meant to be. So anyone out there that’s maybe going through a hard time, man, hang in there. It’s gonna get better. You got to believe that.”
Mero’s story serves as a powerful reminder of resilience and the possibility of rebuilding even after the most difficult chapters.
