Following his departure from AEW, former star Mike Santana is going on a new journey in his career. Santana made the announcement in March, bidding farewell to the promotion after nearly five eventful years that saw both highs and profound challenges.
Among the challenges was a significant low when Santana endured a serious knee injury sidelining him for 14 months. This setback occurred amidst the grieving process for his father’s passing and amid his own struggles with addiction.
Reflecting on this tumultuous period in his life, Santana candidly shared his experiences on Chris Van Vliet’s podcast “Insight.”
He revealed that towards the end of his tenure with AEW, he found himself deeply unhappy, recognizing the urgent need to address his personal struggles.
The turning point came on February 16 when Santana made the decision to go on the path to sobriety, acknowledging the harm he was inflicting on himself and his family.
“I knew it was getting bad because I wasn’t coming home and I would be out for days,” Santana recounted. “Christmas was coming up, and every year my daughter always wrote her Christmas list to Santa … in her list, one of the only things on her list was she wanted Daddy to stop.”
A pivotal moment came when Santana received a heartfelt letter from his grandmother, whom he credits as a guiding light. The letter served as a wakeup call, revealing the extent of the pain he was causing to his loved ones and himself.
Subsequently, Santana took the courageous step of admitting himself into rehab, where the grueling detox process solidified his commitment to a sober life.
He described the experience as the most challenging he had ever faced, yet it ultimately steered him away from drugs and alcohol for good.
