Robert Herjavec, the beloved “Shark Tank” star who is now competing on “Dancing with the Stars,” says he contemplated killing himself last summer. The tech mogul makes the revelation in a candid new interview, in which he also addresses rumors that he and Kym Johnson are tangoing outside the ballroom.
As Extreme Entertainment reported, Herjavec confirmed earlier this month that he and wife Diane Plese are divorcing after 25 years of marriage. Their separation, however, dates back to last July, and Herjavec now admits that shortly afterward, he stood on a hotel room balcony and considered jumping off to his death. “I just wanted to end it,” he tells People. “It’s been a terribly difficult year.”
Herjavec says his suicidal feelings came after his three children with Plese initially wouldn’t speak to him following their split. “Everyone has their kryptonite,” he says. “For me, it was my kids. It took me to a place I never thought I would go.” Thankfully, Herjavec didn’t go any further. Instead, he reached out Pastor John McAuley, who suggested the television personality spend time volunteering at Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission, which helps the homeless.
Herjavec traveled from Toronto to Seattle the very next day, and found his perspective completely changed. He recalls, “Nobody knew who I was. People thought I was a recovering addict.” All the “suffering and hopelessness” made Herjavec want to help, and he stayed for more than two weeks. He continues to visit, and is helping out the facility financially. “I was hollow and broken, and these people saved my life,” Herjavec tellsPeople.
Joining “Dancing with the Stars” is another way Herjavec is attempting to deal with the “pain” of his divorce. He’s also paying tribute to his late mother, who introduced him to the ABC competition as she battled ovarian cancer. As Extreme Entertainment reported, the businessman was on the top half of the leaderboard after Monday’s season premiere, an impressive feat for someone with no prior dance experience. He shares, “I went into this really petrified. But now I’m thinking, ‘I got this.’ But we’ll see.”
By his side on the show is pro dancer Kym Johnson, the two-time winner who has returned to the series after skipping the last three seasons. Rumors have surfaced claiming the two are heating up off the dance floor, and Herjavec doesn’t exactly deny a growing closeness. “The entire cast and crew of ‘Dancing with the Stars’ is evolving into an extended family and is incredibly supportive. Kym has become a great friend, and it is so much fun to be able to share this experience with her,” he says.
0 comments:
Post a Comment