Hogan said he was so distraught over the end of his marriage and his son’s car accident that he nearly committed suicide. Hogan’s son, Nick Bollea, was convicted for reckless driving and received eight months in jail over an accident earlier this year that resulted in the permanent incapacitation of his passenger, 22-year-old John Graziano. Bollea was released early from prison on October 21 for good behavior and now lives with his mother.

Linda Hogan filed for divorce from Hulk Hogan in 2007 over an alleged affair the former wrestler had with Christiane Plante, a friend of their daughter, Brooke Hogan. Shortly after the divorce filing, Hogan claims he nearly killed himself in depression. Hogan says he found himself taking Xanax pills and drinking, while holding a loaded gun.

“I could feel the life draining out me,” Hogan writes in My Life Outside the Ring. “It had me curling my index finger on the trigger of a loaded handgun and putting it my mouth… Obviously I didn’t kill myself, but I came damn close.”

Hogan said a phone call from American Gladiators co-host, Laila Ali, brought him out of his depression and helped him on the road to recovery. “She called with no agenda, just to say hi and check on me,” Hogan said. “It snapped me out of it. At that moment I switched gears. I got sick and tired of being sick and tired. Her voice saved my life, it really did.”

Hogan appeared on the Today Show on Tuesday to promote his new book and discuss his depression and recovery.

>> Previously: Hulk’s Affair with Brooke’s BFF Christiane Plante Caused Divorce