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Dave Bautista Had A Tragic Life Before He Got Where He Is Today

Dave Bautista Had A Tragic Life Before He Got Where He Is Today

The former WWE star and actor had a tough upbringing

Amelia Ward

Amelia Ward

Dave Bautista may be rich and famous now, but he hasn't always lived the high life - in fact he had a really tough time when he was growing up.

Having made it big in both the world of WWE and in Hollywood, Bautista's life now is a far cry from his roots.

He discusses the various trials and tribulations he's endured in his book, Batista Unleashed.

Born in 1969, Bautista grew up in an area of Washington D.C. that was one of the nation's poorest. He recalls that murders were common in his neighbourhood, saying that the life expectancy for children was 'worse than in many third-world countries'.

Batista.
WWE

He explains that homelessness was rife, and because of corruption, nobody had any faith in the police.

According to his book, the turning point came when his mother found a man dying of a gunshot wound on the family doorstep. Although she tried to help, he died before the emergency services could get there. Nearby kids, including Bautista, were playing nearby, and used to the sight of violence, it didn't bother them, leading her to move the family to San Francisco.

Needless to say, he didn't have much of an education to speak of but he got into wrestling, leading him to become Batista.

In an interview with SPORTbible, he said: "I also think that being on the road with WWE is such a grind.

"It really just developed my work ethic, I always had a strong work ethic but nothing like after I came out of the WWE. It really prepared me to just tolerate anything. You have to have a really thick skin there to begin with, but you also have to just pull your weight and be willing to sacrifice."

PA

He found a passion and worked hard at it, to get where he did - but it came at a cost.

"I have sacrificed a lot," Batista admitted. "I have been through a lot of injuries, a lot of lost time with family. Throughout my wrestling career I just... I was never home. I lost a marriage with someone who was a very, very close friend of mine. We still remain friends, but just never being home just tore our marriage apart."

Bautista has also previously revealed that he is dyslexic.

Speaking on Chris Jericho's Talk Is Jericho podcast, Bautista said that it has affected his professional life, as well as his education.

He mentioned that it made things like table reads for movies difficult.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Celebrity, WWE