Terri Runnels issues Statement On Rhodes Arrest; Daughter Involved

Terri Runnels posted a statement on her website regarding her ex-husband and current TNA star Dustin Rhodes regarding his recent arrest following a domestic dispute involving his current girlfriend. She wrote: “As all of you know by now…in the wee hours of the morning on April 25th Dustin made a very bad choice and assaulted his girlfriend at the HardRock Hotel. While that is a horrible act alone…it was made reprehensible due to the fact that (her daughter) Dakota was witness to it in both visual and audible ways. She ended up going to the hospital with Dustin’s girlfriend and called me collect from the ER. I cannot tell you how helpless I felt as a mother to be 2 hours away from her at that moment! I have not ever made a public statement about Dustin that was negative in any way and have always spoken positively to Dakota about her father…however he has set a new precedent because of what he has exposed her to therefore I will no longer cover for him. I never wanted Dakota to see this part of her father for fear that as she got older she would see such behavior as acceptable. It is not now and will never be acceptable! While I am a private person and do not like my personal life exposed I realize that I must now speak about this travesty. Years of lies and abuse have been swept under the rug and would have stayed there had this and other things not occurred in public. Dustin should not blame any of this on anyone else as he has done in years past. He has to stand up and be accountable for his actions or be completely disrespected by his child and others around him. I do not wish anything bad for Dustin…just the opposite. I have been supportive of him even when he was terrible to me. I hope that he gets help and changes his life for Dakota’s sake. This doesn’t have to be a horrible ending, I hope it will be a wonderful beginning of truth, hard work and showing love not just saying it! Thanks to all who have sent good wishes and prayers for Dakota. She is a tough cookie and hopefully will be stronger as a result of the trials she has been put through. Her innocence has been taken away far too early due to the person who should have lived his life to protect her! I hope she never has to experience anything like this ever again. Once again, thank you to all of you who have shared love and support! Onward and upward!”