Kate Upton Helped Husband Justin Verlander Through His Depression

“Who knows if I’m even here if it wasn’t for her?”

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It's normal for a husband and a wife to lean on each other during tough times, but Kate Upton not only helped save husband Justin Verlander's career—she also helped save his life.

In an interview with Bleacher Report, Verlander opened up to the sports website about the future of his professional baseball career after suffering from multiple injuries and how he dealt with the difficult period of his life.

“Who knows if I’m even here if it wasn’t for her?” he said referring to his wife. “I really thought it was the end.”

Feeling the pressure from his team and fans amid talk that he might not be able to ever play the sport again after a shoulder injury, he recalls now how devastated he was about the potential outcome and what his life would look like without baseball. Upton was the one person who helped him "not jump off a bridge."

“She was instrumental in me not…like, jumping off a bridge,” he says. “I was depressed and kind of just upset at the world and trying to hide my own shit.”

“Fuck, man. She was what I needed. I don’t like to talk to people about being hurt. As athletes, you’re not supposed to. It’s an excuse...But she was someone I could talk to. I mean, basically a therapist,” he continues. “Somebody I could trust with...worries about my career. Worries about, 'Can I make it?' Worries about what I’m going through to get back. And just the overall shittiness of it all.”

Upton and Verlander met in 2012 while filming a commercial, found a true friendship within each other, and got married five years later. Just last month, Upton revealed on Instagram that she's pregnant with their first child.

You can read the full Bleacher Report interview here.

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Rachel Epstein
Rachel Epstein

Rachel Epstein is a writer, editor, and content strategist based in New York City. Most recently, she was the Managing Editor at Coveteur, where she oversaw the site’s day-to-day editorial operations. Previously, she was an editor at Marie Claire, where she wrote and edited culture, politics, and lifestyle stories ranging from op-eds to profiles to ambitious packages. She also launched and managed the site’s virtual book club, #ReadWithMC. Offline, she’s likely watching a Heat game or finding a new coffee shop.