Paul Heyman On How Roman Reigns' Leukemia Battle & Time Away From WWE Changed Him
Prior to his metamorphosis into "The Tribal Chief" and "The Head of the Table," Roman Reigns spent many months on the shelf as he battled leukemia for the second time. He delivered the sad news on "WWE Raw," a few days ahead of WWE's Crown Jewel event in October 2018.
As a result of his diagnosis, Reigns was forced to relinquish the Universal Championship while he underwent treatment. He later returned in February 2019 to announce that he had defeated the disease. Paul Heyman, Reigns' "Special Counsel," looked back at that tumultuous time and said that the journey to remission wasn't easy for Reigns.
During a recent appearance on "Tetragrammaton," Heyman reflected on Reigns' time away from WWE and how it changed him as a person. At the time of his diagnosis, the current Undisputed WWE Universal Champion was performing under a full-time contract, with roughly 200-250 days on the road.
"He was on a full schedule, working every show, and then it stopped. Boom. Now you're home. Boom. Complete shock to the system in every conceivable way," Heyman said.
Smiling In The Face Of Adversity
Paul Heyman believes Roman Reign's leukemia battle provided him with a deeper value for life.
"I'm sure it gave him a greater appreciation of life. I'm sure it gave him a greater appreciation of one's own mortality," Heyman said. "I'm sure it gave him a greater appreciation of the blessings that he has over and above what many other people have ... Roman Reigns had an affliction. His children, thank god, as of now, don't share that affliction. His children are healthy. What a blessed man. His mom is still alive, and what a character she is. He's a blessed man. His father is still alive and a legend. What a blessed man."
Reigns, who previously described his first leukemia diagnosis as a "death sentence," shifted his mindset during his second battle with the disease. He said that teaming up with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) shed new light on his approach to life, which was previously propelled by the simple motivation of putting smiles on faces.
During his time away from the ring, he was able to connect with people who had similar stories and inspire them through his own, which was "life-changing" to Reigns, and gave him a different purpose.
After his return to wrestling in 2019, Reigns began to slowly transform his character, and in August 2020 debuted "The Tribal Chief" gimmick. He reclaimed the Universal Championship, which he has held for over 1,000 days.
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Tetragrammaton" with a H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.