Lilian spoke to the NXT star for her Chasing Glory podcast (Picture: Twitter.com/LilianGarcia)
Lilian Garcia has praised WWE celebrity Shotzi Blackheart for her unbelievable ‘braveness’ opening up about her horrific sexual abuse.
The Chasing Glory host – whose podcast is now available on the WWE Network – chatted to the NXT wrestler for final week’s episode, and the 28-year-old star spoke candidly about her experiences.
Talking completely to Metro.co.uk, Lilian mentioned: ‘I really need individuals to see that episode. They’ll perceive what Chasing Glory is all about…
‘I simply respect her braveness for going out and talking about this. I believe that she and others which have executed this are giving individuals permission, I at all times say – personal your story.
‘All of us undergo one thing. Don’t disguise it, share it, in order that we are able to begin therapeutic the world. We have now to begin therapeutic one another… That’s the one manner as individuals on this world that we are able to begin connecting, no judgement and actually make an influence.’
Lilian admitted she was ‘dropped at tears’ by a letter Shotzi penned on social media – which the previous ring announcer learn out on Zoom throughout our interview – after their interview appeared on the WWE Community.
Within the emotional publish, the wrestler mentioned: ‘I normally preserve issues gentle and above the floor so that is the primary time I’ve ever talked about my childhood publicly and it makes me nervous that it’s out however it additionally feels actually good.
‘I truthfully didn’t know I used to be going to get this deep when the interview began to articulating my story was tough and new to me however it’s a dialog I wish to have extra.
‘The half I battle with after I’m opening up is just not feeling like a burden and accepting that somebody will pay attention/believes me/cares although I do know I’ve lots of people in my life that do care.
Shotzi has been praised for talking out (Picture: WWE)
‘I don’t personal this burden and I don’t deserve to hold the burden of it. I hope this interview encourages others to let go of the burdens of their life that don’t belong to them.’
Shotzi – who additionally revealed throughout the heartbreaking and galvanizing podcast that she was sexually assaulted in highschool – defined how musical theatre and professional wrestling have been her remedy, whereas she did additionally speak to ‘a very superior therapist’.
‘Performing was at all times identical to remedy in itself. So I believe I at all times chased it, so I believe wrestling is remedy for me too. And now I simply want it. It’s in me now,’ she informed Lilian.
Lilian desires her podcast to encourage and encourage individuals (Picture: Chasing Glory)
‘I simply was like, “I don’t need mates. I simply need musical theatre. I simply wish to disguise within the theatre.”
‘So I type of did. I simply stayed within the theatre, I ate lunch within the theatre, I simply targeted on musical theatre.’
Lilian – who has been open about her own mental health struggles and battles with bulimia in the past – hopes her podcast can proceed to encourage individuals to talk out about necessary points.
‘There’s different issues that I want to open up and speak about,’ she mentioned. ‘I like that we now have a platform and I like that WWE embraced this.’
*Chasing Glory with Lilian Garcia is obtainable on the free model of the WWE Community.