On a recent episode of “The False Finish” with Conrad Thompson, former WCW star Scotty Riggs shared the deeply personal story of his journey from the brink of suicide to finding a new sense of purpose working for Tony Khan in All Elite Wrestling. Riggs detailed the immense personal toll of becoming a full-time caregiver for his mother, his subsequent spiral into depression, and the intervention from friends that ultimately saved his life and led him back to the wrestling business.
“I Was Going to End My Life”
Riggs explained that his struggles with depression intensified after he became the full-time, 24/7 caregiver for his ailing mother. He described the mental and physical exhaustion of the role and began using pills to cope. “I enjoyed pills because they numbed the mental pain, most of it,” Riggs said. After his mother passed away, he was left with no sense of purpose. “I really had no purpose, no drive, nothing in life,” he recalled. “And I was pretty much had come to a point where I was going to end my life on my terms… I was content. I knew where I was. I knew exactly where I was going.”
The Phone Call That Changed Everything
It was during this time, while he was living in his car, that a phone call from his former tag team partner, Marcus “Buff” Bagwell, initiated a life-changing series of events. Bagwell was calling to ask Riggs to participate in an episode of Dark Side of the Ring. “I remember I said, ‘No, I’m living in a car right now… I’m done. I’m okay. You don’t need me.’ Bye. Hung up on him,” Riggs recounted. Bagwell persisted, leading to an intervention from Diamond Dallas Page that set Riggs on the path to recovery.
A New Beginning with Tony Khan and AEW
Riggs’s recovery journey was documented in videos produced by DDP’s team, and he explained that these videos are what led to his current role in AEW. “It was basically Dallas Page making a few calls, Tony Khan, understanding who I was, understanding my story, and wanting that story to be part of his company,” Riggs said. “So it was basically something that was offered to me.” He now works in a behind-the-scenes role, which he described as “driving the guys around, helping some matches, coaching a few things, being a little bit of everything.”
A Welcoming Locker Room and A New Purpose
He praised the AEW locker room, stating that the supportive atmosphere has been crucial for him. “95% of the AEW crew is completely accepting of who I am, who I was, everything about me now,” he said. He contrasted the current culture with that of his era, noting that the younger generation has found healthier ways to deal with the pressures of the business. “They found healthier ways to deal with things… some of the pitfalls that could be there, like, as soon as the show’s over, straight to the bar, beers, shots, don’t exist anymore.”
During his recovery, Riggs received a powerful message from the legendary Sting, who had watched the videos documenting his progress. Riggs recalled, “He goes, ‘I watched your videos, both of them, back to back.’ He goes, ‘I’m so proud of you.’ For that man to say ‘I’m proud of you’… it changed my life.”
Today, Riggs continues to work on himself while helping the next generation. “I’m still an infant right now in my growth stage,” he admitted. “But I have tools now… and to be able to share stories, to be able to inspire somebody… All that’s opened up some new doors for me to be relational. Give me another set of purpose. This might not be where I’m at long term. Another door may open up. Something else may open up. Who knows, but I gotta be continually wanting to have that purpose, as long as I’m driven by that, as long as driven by purpose, I’m gonna be okay.”
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit AdFreeShows.com with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
