5 AEW stars who overcame a difficult childhood to make it big
In just two years, AEW has signed a blend of youngsters and veterans from the wrestling industry. Some belonged to wrestling royalties, getting a positive environment to pursue their dreams in pro wrestling.
However, not many wrestlers have options in their life. They had to climb the ladders of life to achieve their dream. In the process, they suffered through several trials and tribulations that tested their endurance.
These self-reliant stars remained determined and eventually succeeded. In this article, we're going to talk in-depth about five AEW stars who overcame dire circumstances to achieve their goals.
#5 AEW star CM Punk was adopted at an early age
throwback to the time i met my childhood idol 😇 left is me in 2009 and right is 2017! @CMPunk https://t.co/Kq7lt2q6kI
CM Punk may have become one of the top box-office attractions in pro wrestling today. But his path was never easy, starting with his parents.
Punk's father was an alcoholic, which is why Punk embraced the 'Straight-Edge' lifestyle in real life. He also portrayed it as a gimmick when he was in WWE.
Apart from his father, Punk's mother suffered from bipolar disorder, which alienated him from her. The situation was so dire that his friend's family had to adopt him.
The AEW star wasn't raised with the deep affection and care that every child requires, so it must have been a very tough period. Eventually, he found passion in pro wrestling as an escape from a low-spirited life.
All the hardships at the beginning of his life made him laser-focused to carve a beautiful legacy for himself, which he has already accomplished.
#4 AEW star Jon Moxley lived in public housing before realizing his dream
College of Dean Ambrose and Jon Moxley https://t.co/O6bsMRMdae
Jon Moxley is another big name in the pro wrestling industry who started his career from scratch. He lived in public housing surrounded by poor neighborhoods.
AEW's Moxley has even reflected on his past, notably mentioning that it felt like 'garbage' living in those government-owned houses:
"My neighbourhood was pretty much a big stretch of government housing and all these torn up apartment buildings all owned by different people. It was easy to get the feeling like all the garbage from the city ran down and washed up there,” Moxley said.
The AEW star revealed that he had to do unwanted jobs like selling somebody else's drugs to make a living and avoid getting bullied:
“For instance, there were times that I would have to cave in and do something like selling somebody’s drugs, just so I wouldn’t get beaten half to death. But then there were other times where dudes would catch me walking by and try to push me around, and I had to draw a line, even if I was gonna get pulverized. I ended up earning respect that way — not that I cared, I just wanted out,” Moxley disclosed.
There's no doubt AEW star Jon Moxley had a rough childhood. But he used all that frustration and anger into something constructive. Pursuing pro wrestling was his only escape from a miserable life.
Mox dropped out of college to chase his dream of following in the footsteps of his childhood heroes. It wouldn't be far-fetched to say that his 'Lunatic Fringe' character back in WWE had some realism to it.