Shannon Moore is a former WWE, WCW and TNA star. Unfortunately, Moore went down a dark path and became an addict.
Moore spoke with the Tampa Bay Times about his addictions and how he fought through them. Moore now works as a counselor at Riverside Recovery of Tampa and shared his story.
He felt like he needed all the drugs to help him have the strength and stamina to work as a wrestler. He initially used painkillers, but later became addicted to heroin. This also led to money issues and divorce, and a scary incident that led him to get sober.
“I thought, in order to keep going at the caliber of an athlete that I am, I’m going to take this stuff… That’s all that mattered. Wrestling came first. Everything else was second,” Moore said.
“The first thing an addict does is start blaming people,” he added. “So, for me, there was a lot of resentment and blame, putting everything on my ex-wife. It was all my fault. I just wasn’t taking ownership [of the situation and my addiction].”
A cry for help
One day, Moore packed a bag with guns and heroin and planned to drive from North Carolina to Florida to kill his ex-wife, before killing himself or going to jail. Moore ultimately called WWE’s “Road Dogg” Brian James, who ultimately helped get him into WWE-sponsored rehab.
“I said, ‘Hey, dude, you’re probably going to hear about me on the news. Something bad is going to happen. He reached back out, and the rest is history,” Shannon Moore said.
Moore mentioned that WWE was the main reason for him to overcome addiction.
“Then I had one last desperate cry for help. The WWE saved my life,” Moore said.
He shared that he went down that tragic path because he had a lot of money and a lot of free time. After his IMPACT Wrestling run ended, Moore took a hiatus from wrestling.
“That was the worst thing I ever did. I was sitting at home, I had time. I had money. And what do you do? You just party. I think that’s the point where physical addiction set in. I was 13, 14, 15, 16, pretty much partying with these pro wrestlers… It was sex, drugs, and rock and roll for me.”
Shannon Moore is now counseling addicts in Tampa, Florida
Now, Moore is helping other addicts escape that dark hole.
“I never had any interest in working in this industry. When I went in treatment, I’m like, ‘Man, this is pretty amazing. People are getting a second chance.’ A lot of wrestlers are scared to ask for help. They think it will label them as black sheep. I’m proof it won’t.”
Moore is now trying his best to help others.
“There have been plenty of offers,” Moore said about a possible return to wrestling on a larger scale. “But Riverside has an amazing team. I believe in what we are doing. I’ve got a taste of being in service. My whole thing now is just trying to do my part and hopefully use my platform and use my career to hopefully help somebody.”
If you or someone you know needs help, call or text the 24-hour 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. The 988 Lifeline (fka National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States.
