Rico Constantino recently opened up about one of the darkest periods of his life, revealing that years of severe medical complications once left him believing he might never wake up again.
The former WWE star shared the emotional details during an interview with Chris Van Vliet. He reflected on how quickly his health declined after his law enforcement career ended.
Known to wrestling fans for his flashy “Stylist” persona and work managing Billy and Chuck, Rico explained that his health problems began around 2014 and 2015 while working as a police officer.
He revealed he suffered multiple blood clots, including clots in both lungs, which ultimately forced him into medical retirement.
Rico opens up about blood clots, vertigo, and fearing the worst
During the interview, Rico detailed the long list of medical issues that followed. Alongside blood clots, he dealt with peripheral neuropathy, vertigo, migraines, sleep apnea, and spinal degeneration.
At one point, he said his condition became so severe that he could barely move around his home.
“I was crawling down to get to the bathroom, crawling up and down the stairs,” the former WWE star said. He also revealed doctors treated his migraines with Botox injections while he relied on a CPAP machine to sleep.
Despite trying vegan diets, juicing, and other lifestyle changes, Rico admitted there was a period where he truly thought the end was near. “I just finally looked up to God, and I went, ‘Okay, God, going to bed. If I wake up in the morning, I’ll take my medicine, and if not, I’ll be next to you.’”
When asked directly if he believed he was going to die, Rico answered honestly: “Yeah, after that, the last year. I really thought it was over, because I kept getting worse.”
Now recovered enough to enjoy life again, Rico said he approaches every day differently. In a fitting wrestling-style comeback line, he joked that after years of living “like NASCAR,” he now prefers moving through life “like a Prius.”
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