Deontay Wilder has opened up on his battle with depression and how he wanted to take his own life after the birth of his first child, Naieya.
The world Heavyweight champion admitted that his struggles began after his daughter was born in 2005 with spina bifida, a spinal condition that nearly left her unable to walk.
Reflecting on becoming a father at 19-years-old to a child with a disorder, the American boxer said he struggled financially to pay his daughter’s medical bills and this resulted in him having depression. He also said he contemplated suicide shortly after taking up boxing in 2006.
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During an interview with BT Sports, Deontay said: “The lowest moment for me in my life was years and years and years ago, I think when my daughter was first born back in 2005.’
But in 2006 it became very rocky for me, to the point where I lost my family, to the point where I had a gun in my lap and I was ready to commit suicide myself.
Those thoughts come to your head – we’re all human. Those thoughts come to anyone’s head that is going through some type of depression or going through different things in your lives.
You think the only way to end all of this is to end your life. You are not thinking about anyone else, you’re just thinking about yourself and what’s going on.”