WWE Hall of Famer Jake “The Snake” Roberts recently spoke with The Huffington Post his Unspoken Word tour. Here are the highlights.
On his WWE Hall of Fame induction in 2014:
“It wasn’t at all what I expected,” Roberts admitted. “I thought it would be more about wrestling but it was more about healing between a man and his family. It was certainly a great night for me and I will never forget it. I am so grateful to the McMahons for allowing me the opportunity when it seemed like I did everything in the world to keep me out of the Hall of Fame. I made mistakes but they were big enough in their own right to forgive me for those and I can never thank them enough for that. The McMahon family put me through several rehabs. They didn’t work but they got me closer to being better.
“Finally the thing with DDP did work because it was the right mixture of things at the time. I just encourage anybody who is struggling to never give up. That’s the bottom line. That’s what the disease wants. It wants you dead. If plan A doesn’t work try plan B. If plan B doesn’t work try plan C and just keep the hope alive. When you find the right formula it will be worth it. It might be Kool-Aid instead of iced tea.”
On his life now:
“It is different, man. I traded in the booze and the drugs for a different high. Getting high by going out there and helping people is incredible. It’s a better feeling now than I had when I went out there in the ring. I’m shocked when I say that but it’s true,” Roberts smiled. He followed up by saying, “When you help someone and you feel their appreciation, to see how grateful they are—it’s incredible, man. When a kid writes you a letter thanking you for helping him get his daddy back, that’s real. That is just real. I can’t begin to tell you how good that feels. I’m getting more than I ever expected to. Much more. Now being able to have relationships with my grandchildren and children, meaningful relationships that are going to last a lifetime and beyond. I’m having the best time of my life and the great thing is I will be able to do this for the next 20 or 30 years providing I can stay healthy which I am dang sure trying to do. I’m doing a pretty great job at it. I weigh less than I did in 1980, pretty damn good shape. I’m feeling kind of cocky when I walk and that’s a good thing. There is a little swagger in me now.”
