Hulk Hogan: 'Laila Ali Saved Me From Suicide'

Wrestling icon HULK HOGAN credits boxer LAILA ALI with saving him from taking his own life after she called him to check up on her pal.

The sporting legend, real name Terry Bollea, confesses in his new book that he was on the verge of suicide when his 20-year marriage to Linda Bollea broke down in 2007 and his son Nick was hospitalised following a serious car accident
Hogan hit rock bottom when he found himself downing prescription drugs and reaching for a gun.

In My Life Outside The Ring, he writes, 'there were times when I thought that a whole bottle of pills would go down easy... Then I noticed the gun in my hand. I was careless with it... I kept my finger pressed right to that trigger and if I moved that finger an inch in the right direction I would have blown my brains out.'

But it was a caring phone call from Ali, his then co-host on U.S. reality show American Gladiators, which convinced him not to go through with his suicide bid.

During an appearance on America's Today show on Tuesday (27Oct09), he recalled, 'All of a sudden the phone rang. And it was Laila, and she said, ‘Hey, what’s going on? You’re on the set. You’re all depressed. We’re worried about you. You going to be OK?’

'she called with no agenda, just to say hi and check on me... It snapped me out of it. At that moment I switched gears. I got sick and tired of being sick and tired. Her voice saved my life, it really did.'

But Hogan insists he's now in a much better and healthier place in his life.

He adds, 'I just want people to know, life is good... I'm happier than I've ever been.'

--IANS-WENN