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Sgt. Slaughter was one of The Iron Sheik's closest friends in the wrestling business. In an exclusive interview, the WWE Hall of Famer reflected on how his former on-screen rival overcame dark times outside of the ring.
Sheik's eldest daughter Marissa Jeanne Vaziri died in 2003 after being strangled by her boyfriend Charles Warren Reynolds. Following the tragedy, Sheik turned to alcohol and drugs before becoming a born-again Christian.
Slaughter told Sportskeeda Wrestling Senior Editor Bill Apter about his long-time friend's troubles after his daughter's death:
"He turned to the drugs, not only for that but for his pain. His leg, the things that he'd gone through. The pain in his heart, the alcohol, it seemed to be able to put him in a different place so he could quit thinking about it. He told me one time on one of our car rides, he said, 'When I lay my head on the pillow, all I see is my daughter.' He said, 'I can't sleep.'" [10:57 – 11:24]
Watch the video above to hear more from Slaughter about his close friendship with Sheik in real life.
How the tragedy affected The Iron Sheik's home life
Due to his drug use, The Iron Sheik briefly separated from his wife Caryl. The two later got back together after the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion attended a rehabilitation facility.
Sgt. Slaughter added that Sheik got his life back on track once he turned to Christianity:
"She [Caryl] just moved out and said, 'You just live there as long as you want to. I'm not staying.' So, finally he committed to getting help, and that's when she moved back in. They went to the minister, a bunch of different places to get him help. He got clean, found God, and everything was good." [11:50 – 12:16]
In the same interview, Slaughter disclosed backstage details about Vince McMahon's last-minute decision to book Sheik as the WrestleMania 17 Gimmick Battle Royal winner.
What are your favorite memories of The Iron Sheik? Let us know in the comments section below.
Please credit Sportskeeda WrestleBinge and embed the video if you use quotes from this article.
