5 Things You Didn't Know About Dana Brooke

#1 NBA Star Enes Kanter Is Her Real-Life Angel

From Left to Right: Dana Brooke, Enis Kanter, and Charly Caruso

After Dana Brooke's 26 year old boyfriend Dallas McCarver died tragically and unexpectedly, Brooke struggled to find her bearings. Brooke tried to push the negative feelings away, but things didn't improve until she met NBA star Enes Kanter. "I tried to push it away with Enes, who I am currently with now, who has helped me a lot through this. He's been a blessing for me."

Before Kanter, Brooke felt "so alone," and struggled to find "what she had to live for." Brooke felt "lost" and confesses to being in "a dark place for a very long time." She could not eat or sleep.

McCarver's mother encouraged her. "Don't live your life like this. Don't live your life sheltered and alone. You will find love again." Brooke doubted that she ever would.

Eight months later while wrestling at Madison Square Garden, Brooke made an instant connection with former New York Knicks star Enes Kanter. Brooke opened up about her relationship with Kanter.

"He could sense something. He could sense some kind of pain or something that I couldn't let go and I never really opened up to anyone ever about this and I opened up to him and I let it all out. I felt as though if I met somebody and tried to talk to another man or person in my life, I would feel judged or they would say, 'Why are you crying about this person?' They would feel like he was still somebody I was in love with."

Brooke found support from the NBA star.

"Enes let me cry. Enes held my hand. Enes would talk to me on the phone and he got me through some of the hardest times. In wrestling, I would go to work on Monday not being used. I would call him crying like, 'Why am I wrestling anymore? I don't even know why I'm doing this.'"

Kanter's advice motivated Brooke.

"He would be like, 'Push through girl. You're doing this because you're inspiring thousands. He prays for Dallas and says, 'Do this for him.' It's like Dallas put this walking living angel in front of me and he holds my hand and he motivates me, and at the darkest times when I wanted to walk away from everything and wrestling, Enes wouldn't [let me]."

Readers are encouraged to listen to Lilian Garcia's interview with Dana Brooke in its entirety HERE.