Willow Nightingale‘s journey to the top of AEW has not been as carefree as her on-screen personality might suggest.
At AEW Redemption, Nightingale defeated Thekla to capture the AEW Women’s World Championship, making history as the first-ever AEW Women’s Grand Slam Champion.
Before her title win, Nightingale spoke candidly about her mental health during Countdown to AEW Redemption. Despite her reputation as one of AEW’s most positive and energetic stars, she admitted that maintaining that image has been difficult while privately dealing with depression.
Willow Nightingale shares how depression has affected her life, mindset, and wrestling career
“I think there are a lot of expectations that come with being Willow Nightingale and being like the smiley happy person. It’s been hard. I think I’ve been depressed for about a year, and I’ve just had to find a way to strap a smile on, put my twinkly boots on, and find a way to keep going,” Nightingale said.
“I’m missing my family’s birthday party. I’m missing weddings. But we all do it. What makes me more deserving than anybody else? It’s not even a matter about deserving. It’s just, I’m in this position. The opportunities are there. I’m taking them, and I’m excelling, and at the end of the day, that’s what makes you a champion.” [H/T SEScoops]
During the post-show media scrum, the new champion praised AEW’s commitment to supporting its talent, noting that the company has a therapist who travels with the roster and that access to those resources has made a meaningful difference in her life.
WrestleZone’s full coverage of AEW Redemption is available here.
