Jake “The Snake” Roberts: “I Chose Drugs and Alcohol Over a Family”

Jake “The Snake” Roberts was recently interviewed by Bleacher Report where he discussed a number of topics. Among them were almost dying due to drugs and alcohol, becoming sober and who helped him along the way, joining AEW, and more.

Below are some questions, along with “The Snake”‘s answers:

Bleacher Report: Thanks to The Resurrection of Jake the Snake and the Vice episode, you aired significant issues which aren’t easy for anyone to discuss. How have your relationships with your family changed after addressing those pitfalls of the past?

Jake Roberts: “It’s gotten better. My oldest daughter and I are now golden. I have another daughter who’s golden. I have twin boys who are golden. But I do have four other children, who are…still holding their ground. I understand it. I’m not trying to shove anything down their throats.

“I’m guilty of everything I did and didn’t do. It’s more things that I didn’t do, because I was never around them when I was messed up or drunk or anything like that. Thank you, Lord. It would have been horrible to have seen me like that. I’m grateful I wasn’t around at that time, and it’s all because of my wife at the time who made it happen. We divorced because she said she didn’t want drugs and alcohol around the children.

“Just to show how powerful drugs and alcohol are, I chose drugs and alcohol over a family. How insane is that? I look back now and wonder, ‘What in the hell were you thinking?’ I wasn’t thinking. Once that addiction has you, the only thing that matters is your drug. That’s all.”

B/R: Has there been anyone who reached out, told you how helpful your story has been to them and asked for help?

JR: “Literally hundreds of people.

“Currently, I have two or three people that I’m working with—one being Buff Bagwell. We’re trying to get Buff on the straight and narrow. It’s a process, and it’s not easy. It takes time, especially for those who did it long-term. When you do something…religiously…24/7, then you stop, there’s a little thing in your brain that goes crazy and says, ‘Hey, where’s the next drink at? Where’s this?’ It’s a bad habit.

“I’ve been to jails and I’ve been to rehabs. I never met anybody at a jail or rehab who said, ‘Gee, Jake, when I was growing up, my dream was to become a drug addict and alcoholic.’ Nobody dreams of that. It’s something that happens along the way. You take a left instead of a right, then you’re right in the middle of it.

“Once the hook is set, you’re in trouble.

“For me, it took a long time to reach the bottom, because I had money. But I finally got rid of all of it. I got rid of the car. I traded drugs for a car. I’ve done it all. It wasn’t until I was at the very bottom, praying to die, cursing God because I wasn’t dead and becoming a hermit more or less…I wouldn’t go shopping until 2 or 3 a.m. because I didn’t want people to see me. That’s how bad I looked and how bad I felt.

“With me, I went to the top. There was nobody any better than me. They may have had belts and stuff, but that doesn’t mean you’re any better. I was the very best.

“To go from there—not to the bottom of the barrel, but under it—that’s where I was at. The opportunity to come out of it, I’m forever grateful to Diamond Dallas Page for saving my life. He saved my life by giving me the opportunity to get sober.”

B/R: After getting yourself right and doing everything you needed to do over an extended period of time, you finally returned to an on-screen role with AEW in 2020. What did that moment mean to you?

JR: “That was one of my golden moments. I’ll never forget it.

“Having that opportunity in Salt Lake City was more than I ever dreamed of. When they asked me to come in, I thought it would be a one-day deal. After the Salt Lake City thing, they decided it was worth a couple of years.

“Redemption is what it was.

“To go back out on a major stage, be the focus of what’s there and still being able to deliver, it was incredible. I know when I touched the ring I thought my hands were going to catch on fire. It was…hot. I just felt something coming through me.

“It was just an incredible feeling. I can’t explain it, until you’ve had that moment.”

The Snake also discusses the AEW locker room, CM Punk, who is the future of the company and more.