Former WWE and WCW star Jacques Rougeau, best known as The Mountie and one half of The Quebecers, has opened up in a powerful and emotional interview about the personal and financial struggles that have rocked his life over the last four years. Speaking on Wrestling Life with Ben Veal, Rougeau candidly shared his journey through bankruptcy, pandemic shutdowns, and caring for his partner during a grueling cancer fight.
Rougeau admitted that, during his wrestling heyday, he believed success would never end. But the pandemic brought his reality crashing down: “My father always told me, ‘Save your money.’ And I’d say, ‘There’s never going to be hard days!’ Then… now, life hit me.”
COVID-19 forced him to shut down his wrestling school and cancel his popular one-man shows. With no insurance or safety net, Rougeau took out a $40,000 loan to stay afloat.
“The Chemotherapy Was Worse Than The Cancer”
In a devastating twist, his longtime partner Nathalie was diagnosed with cancer during the pandemic. Rougeau became her full-time caregiver through 16 months of chemo, putting aside work and income to be by her side. “Until you live it, you don’t know what the hell you’re going through… You don’t feel like going to work, you just want to be there for her.”
Bankruptcy
Rougeau tried to bounce back by launching a Wrestling Academy competition, but the venture lost money three years in a row due to sponsor failures. Facing $70,000 in debt, he filed for bankruptcy, but only on his company, not personal accounts. “I didn’t want to lose face, so I borrowed the money and I paid the wrestlers,” he explained. “So now I was down like $70,000. So just about last week, my company that I had for 40-some years, I went bankrupt.”
A local newspaper covered the story, but public support surged once Rougeau shared the full truth. “Everybody got behind me in the media,” he said.
With Nathalie now five months in remission, Rougeau is restarting his one-man shows and determined to rise again: “Everybody falls in life. The most important thing is to get back up. I’m definitely going to get back on my feet!”
Stay tuned to PWMania.com for more on Jacques Rougeau’s comeback, plus all the latest news and interviews from around the wrestling world.
