Dwayne Johnson reveals battle with depression, mother's suicide attempt
CNN/Stylemagazine.com Newswire | 4/2/2018, 10:27 a.m.
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson
By Lisa Respers France, CNN
(CNN) -- Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has revealed that times have been harder for him than fans know.
In an interview with "Express," the movie star talked of battling depression.
"Struggle and pain is real," he said. "I was devastated and depressed."
Johnson said he went through a dark period years ago when injuries ended his dreams of playing professional football.
He was released within a year of signing with the Canadian Football League and shortly after his then-girlfriend broke up with him, Johnson said.
But Johnson said the worst time came when he was a teenager and his mother, Ata Johnson, attempted suicide after they lost their apartment.
"She got out of the car on Interstate 65 in Nashville and walked into oncoming traffic," Johnson said. "I grabbed her and pulled her back on the gravel shoulder of the road."
The "Rampage" star says both he and his mother have gone on to find happiness, and she has blocked the memory of her then 15-year-old saving her from swerving cars and trucks.
"What's crazy about that suicide attempt is that to this day, she has no recollection of it whatsoever," he said. "Probably best she doesn't."
Johnson said he's now using their experiences to try and help others.
"We both healed but we've always got to do our best to pay attention when other people are in pain," he said. "We have to help them through it and remind them they are not alone."
