Celebrated Sports Columnist Woody Paige Has Always Been Advocating About Depression And Mental Health
Woody Paige, a renowned writer and sports columnist, is recently on the news for sharing his insights on his relationships with past Colorado Buffaloes coaches. Paige has always been vocal about his depression and mental health and encourages people to speak up about these issues.
Born on June 27, 1946, Woody Paige is a sports columnist for The Gazette. He is also the author and panelist on the ESPN talk show Around the Horn.
For 35 years, he was a columnist for The Denver Post and the co-host of the Sports morning talk show Cold Pizza.
Paige earned over 150 writing awards during his illustrious career and has branched into radio and television.
He gained notoriety for his humorous and witty gags in his appearances on ESPN’s “Around the Horn.”
Woody Paige Has Been Vocal About His Battle With Depression and His Journey to Recovery!
The coveted sports columnist, Woody Paige, had been taking prescription drugs to fight his depression.
On September 10, 2010, 23-year-old Denver Broncos wide receiver Kenny Mckinley passed away by the self-inflicted wound.
In a 2010 column, Paige confessed that three days after McKinley ended his own life, Paige had planned to inflict self-harm.
The last, desperate, despondent, despicable act was all planned out. The Broncos were playing on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2002, against the 49ers. I would fly into San Francisco the day before, drive up to Napa Valley, enjoy a bottle of expensive red wine and check into a nice inn. The next morning I would head over to the coast and swim out in the Pacific Ocean far enough that I couldn’t make it back to the beach.
He decided to drink heavily in Napa and then drown himself in the Pacific Ocean.
“I had gone to a psychiatrist and was given every drug in the whole world. I was within hours of getting on the plane to go to Napa, and I had it all figured out.”
In the column, Paige also revealed that Gil Whiteley, who showed up at his house, quickly learned what Paige was scheming and took Paige to Rose Hospital.
Meanwhile, doctors took away his belt, nail clippers, and anything he might be able to use to harm himself.
After the diagnosis, the doctor disclosed that Paige was diabetic, which played a part in his depression. They also told Paige was on the path to healing.
The demise of Kenny Mckinley deeply impacted Woody Paige. He even wrote an article in The Denver Post regarding Mckinley’s demise, how deeply it affected Paige, and things we can learn from this incident.
Paige has always expressed his concern regarding depression, mental health, and self-harming.
He urges people to empathize with people battling with depression instead of asking questions and trying to wheelchair-diagnose them.
As of 2024, Woody Paige seems to be recovering from his deep depression. He is active on Twitter and posts regularly.
Four former Colorado football coaches and I had major issues over columns I wrote. Three wouldn’t do any more interviews with me. I It was their right, and I had the right to write. Both sides kept the dispute private, not public.
— Woody Paige (@woodypaige) August 27, 2024
Paige is very private, and little is known about his personal life. But he has a daughter named Shannon. Recently, the 78-year-old has revealed,
I have no problems. I don’t drink. I don’t smoke. I’ve lost 60 pounds. I’m in the gym every day. I’m the healthiest I have been in my life. I’m the happiest I’ve been in my life. I’m not sitting here thinking of retiring. I’m enjoying every day.
Additional Information
- Woody Paige wrote his first article when he was in second grade for his school paper “The Cherokee Chit-Chat” in 1953.
- His father Woodrow Paige Sr. passed away in 1975 while his mother passed away in 2019.
- As per some online resources, his annual salary is estimated around $300,000.
