He was born Aurelian Smith Jr., but the world knows him better from his professional name — Jake “The Snake Roberts.”

During his 7 years in the ring, he (and his snake Damien) became one of the World Wrestling Federation’s biggest stars. 

His life has had the highest of highs but some of the deepest of lows, and his is a story of survival and victory over addiction. 

Jake, pictured above, right, with Diamond Dallas Page (left), opens up about his painful past and childhood and why getting inside the ring allowed him to escape his life. But he says he was living a lie and used self-medicating to cope. He talks about his strained relationship with his father, professional wrestler Grizzly Smith, and how, even at the height of his success, he was failing himself by repeating the same mistakes that his father made when it came to parenting 

But his story wasn’t over. He explains how he ended up teaming up with fellow former professional wrestler Diamond Dallas Page to get clean and sober.

Plus, find out what he thinks about fight this fight so publicly and his message to anyone struggling with addiction and despair. 

Click here to listen to our interview with Diamond Dallas Page.