A Reflective Jeff Hardy Opens Up About The Death Of His Mother & Why He Isn’t Ready To Quit Drinking

Smackdown Superstar Jeff Hardy was a recent guest on Lilian Garcia’s Chasing Glory podcast, where he opened up about his history with substance abuse, the premature death of his mother, and the relationship he shares with his brother Matt.

(Transcription Credit: Michael McClead, WrestleZone)

On his mother being diagnosed with terminal brain cancer:

They were picking us up from school one day and she was having bad headaches and naturally I wasn’t old enough to understand a bad headache or what might be possible in this scenario. They got so bad they had to go to the hospital. My Dad took her to the hospital and we found out sure enough it was a brain tumor.

On his mother’s passing when he was only nine years old:

It was pretty short. I think it was about two years until she passed. I mean it was pretty quick and it just got worse and worse. I’ll never forget when she started chemo and she was losing her hair and these visions that are kinda still blurry and we would go in and see her in that shape. She was so tough man. She was still just an incredible woman and mom, even in that state. I still every now and then stop by her grave and talk to her. I pray to her every night – along with God – to protect me every night in this craziness that I do. She’s been with me all the way.

On how much he was personally affected by the death of his mother:

I think I was too young. After she passed we were in the room and we went down to the cafeteria – first time I’ve ever seen my dad cry because he’s not the type of guy. He still, to this day, never says, ‘I love you.’ He is hardcore. Tears were running down his face and he said, ‘Boys, we’ve got to move on.’ God, I’ll never forget that….Motherless, he raised us right.

On his brother Matt Hardy filling a fatherly role:

Later on Matt played the father role for awhile. He had just started college at UNC Charlotte for like engineering, you know that’s a real smart dude. He had to stop that because my Dad had this close call with an aneurysm….Matt was driving me around and he would take my to high school. He played the father role there for awhile.

On why he chose to use pain killer recreationally:

I’m more sociable when I’m high, I guess. I’m a very quiet person. I always have been. I think that’s probably the main reason. Just around crowds and stuff it made me more open and want to talk more. I think it must be from my Mom. I never got to know her that well, so I think I might have got it from her. I think Matt, as far as being sociable, is more like my Dad when it comes to communication….I think I’m more like her in that aspect of life with just being shy.

On why he isn’t ready to quit drinking yet, despite a DUI and history of substance abuse:

I haven’t stopped drinking. I stopped drinking and driving. I haven’t stopped drinking completely, so I do still drink. You can drink. Just don’t do it again and that’s one thing, I’m never doing any kind of driving, if it’s one drink or whatever. Naturally, I don’t drink as much. I mainly like to drink before I sing now. It’s one of those things I need to go over because I know I don’t need it; but, still in my mind I’m going, ‘I just need it. I’m so nervous.’ I’ve done a few without it and they’ve been fine; but, I always feel like it’s a little better [drinking] and I know that’s shallow or whatever. As far as that, it is in total control and sadly the DUI helped me with that. You don’t have to stop completely. You’re not that kind of person. You can control this and I will. Eventually I’m gonna stop all together because as we get older…you’re heart is one muscle that can’t rebuild itself and if you do too much damage to it, you’re in for it.

Readers interested in listening to Lilian Garcia’s interview with Jeff Hardy in its entirety may do so below:

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