Triple H: Near-Death Experience Taught Me to Embrace Life as a Precious Gift

WWE Legend Triple H appeared noticeably moved when he spoke candidly about the aftermath of his near death experience .

The 55-year-old former wrestler who now heads up WWE – known as Paul Levesque professionally – has had a defibrillator implanted in his chest after experiencing viral pneumonia coupled with heart failure around four years back , resulting from a genetic problem and nearly costing him his life.

The health scare forced him to officially retire from wrestling and focus on his behind the scenes roles, while there has been a more profound impact.

In a fresh interview alongside his spouse Stephanie McMahon for her ESPN show Stephanie’s Places, he confessed: "Strangely enough, in a messed-up sort of manner, my heart problem turned out to be a blessing."

'It helped me view things from a different perspective, examine life in another light.'

Stephanie appeared to be on the verge of tears as she honestly shared that she had never heard him express his thoughts like that before.

Levesque went on: "You might live your life - regardless of how wonderful it may be or all the activities you're involved in, simply going about your day-to-day routine. Before long, you find yourself halfway through when suddenly it hits you, 'Wow, time isn't endless.'"

The pair seemed to be struggling to hold back their tears as he began to retrieve a coin from his pocket.

“I was just going to inquire about that,” Stephanie replied, obviously emotional, as her spouse added, “You presented it to me. 'Memento Mori' — death could come at any moment. Everything could end instantly.”

'In essence, don’t get bogged down in all this nonsense. Life is incredibly short, so everything can vanish in an instant.'

Earlier this year, Levesque was enshrined in the Hall of Fame with his spouse, their two daughters, and his mother-in-law Linda McMahon sitting prominently at ringside.

'It’s difficult to express properly. However, what strikes me as equally remarkable—and truly thrilling—is how significant this moment is for me. My parents were present, along with my children, Steph, and my mother-in-law; plus, some dear friends joined us too—that was simply fantastic,' he said. told In Las Vegas the evening following his induction.

'And then on top of that, I'm seated in a room with nearly 200 talented individuals, most of whom I know in some capacity.' really emotional connection to .

'I've seen them walk through the doorway, observed their initial steps, witnessed their progression, or noted their arrival at this venue where they once believed they'd never reach WWE.'

Several months following his hospitalization, Levesque – who holds the position of Chief Content Officer at WWE and oversees their creative direction for shows like Monday Night Raw and SmackDown – announced that he would never return to wrestlingリング formally withdrew from active wrestling competitions .

In March 2022, he stated to ESPN’s First Take: “I won’t step into the ring as a wrestler ever again. Primarily because I have an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator in my chest, and getting shocked during a broadcast might not be such a wise move.”

The athlete, who has won the world championship 14 times, was alerted by medical professionals that he was experiencing severe heart failure.

He stated: 'I was plunging down and pretty much reached the one-yard line of not wanting to be there indeed, concerning your family and your prospects.'

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