TNA’s Mike Santana on overcoming drug addiction, growing up in tough NYC neighborhoods, being true to himself

By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)

TNA “Immersed: Mike Santana Return of the Realist”
Interview available at the TNA YouTube Page

Mike Santana on the hardships growing up in the toughest neighborhoods of New York City: “Growing up in some of the toughest neighborhoods in New York City, teenage Mom, single mother; having to witness her struggle and endure unimaginable abuse. I did anything not to be home to see my Mom get her ass whooped every night. Sometimes when you deal with stuff like that you find family in the street and that’s exactly what happened with me. I found myself with fucked up crowds and doing things that I regret and I’m not proud of.”

Mike Santana on overcoming addiction: “When you’re sitting in rehab for 30 days you stare out the window because you got a lot of time to think. It was my daughter writing her Christmas list right before I went into rehab and on her list she ask Santa for Daddy to stop. Her writing her Santa letter saved my life.”

Mike Santana on being authentic to himself and bringing that to pro wrestling: “Everybody can say this is just a wrestling storyline or promo or any of that shit, I couldn’t care less. I know what I represent, I know where I come from, I know what I’ve been through, nobody can take that from me. People are out there playing a character, what you see is what you get; there ain’t no fucking character here. You’re seeing a straight Boricua player from New York City, that’s what you get.”