In a heartfelt and emotional revelation, wrestling legend Raven confirmed during an interview with Ariel Helwani that he has been diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s disease. The former WWE, ECW, and WCW star opened up about his condition while discussing an upcoming documentary chronicling his storied career.
“I’m content, or more basically as content as I’ve ever been, other than this stupid tremor I got from the Parkinson’s—got early-onset Parkinson’s,” Raven said. “So if you see me tremor, that’s why. But other than that, you know, it’s—I don’t think it really touches on enough of my current life to do any damage to it.”
Raven, whose real name is Scott Levy, explained that while his symptoms are currently manageable, the tremors worsen during moments of anxiety or exhaustion. “I’m lucky it hasn’t affected me too bad,” he shared. “It just—when I get anxious, the tremor gets worse. Or when I’m really tired. And I have a sleep disorder, so it, you know—but I paid, you know. But look, you gotta pay the piper sometimes. You know, you gotta—for all the drugs and alcohol and chair shots I took to the head—you gotta pay for the damage at some point.”
The 59-year-old wrestling icon has long been open about his personal struggles with addiction, mental health, and the physical toll of his in-ring career. Known for his sharp mind, dark persona, and creative storytelling, Raven’s influence helped define multiple wrestling generations across ECW, WCW, and WWE.
Reflecting on his life and legacy, Raven spoke candidly about regret and acceptance. “Oh, I got tons of regrets. Anybody who says they don’t have regrets is full of ****. I got tons of regrets. I got tons of things I would have done different, but I didn’t,” he said. “They made me who I am, and I’m happy with who I am. And I would rather be happy with who I am at the end of my life than be happy earlier in my life and not happy at the end.”
Raven’s honesty and resilience have inspired fans and peers alike, and news of his diagnosis has already drawn an outpouring of support from the wrestling community.
