Wrestler JR Kratos chronicles his journey from homelessness to wrestling champion: ' I came from the trenches'

Recently retired professional wrestler and FOX News' Tyrus sat down with professional wrestler J.R. Kratos to discuss his journey from the depths of poverty in San Francisco to the heights of international wrestling fame and buying his first home on "FOX News Saturday Night."

One of the most emotional moments from their discussion centered on a photograph Tyrus shared on screen. It showed a young Kratos with a wrestling ring toy set, homeless, and his bed a sheet upheld by a single broomstick. 

"As you could see through that, that was the only toy that I was able to keep, and it's just, it was tough, man. As you can see in that picture. That was my bed. That's an actual sheet from a bed, that's not a tent. And it's a broomstick holding up the sheet man," reflecting on the image, Kratos said. "Ever since then, man, I've always had it in my head. You know, you're not a product of your circumstances, you know what I mean? You just work hard, and you strive to be something greater than where you're at right now."

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He added, "I think all that stuff added substance to who I am, and it created a lot in me, man, to cope with a lot of hard things because that's where I came from, you know what I mean? You know, I came from the trenches."

Photo of J.R. Kratos as a child. (Credit: J.R. Kratos)

Kratos also discussed external challenges he faced growing up in Hunters Point, including the culture of gangs and crime. 

"You start hanging around the wrong crowds, and you start getting around the big bros," he said. "I just started doing that, but, you know, as I started getting older, like I said, from just a young kid, I always wanted more man. I always wanted to be more than my circumstances."

Tyrus highlighted a moment he shared one night, "beat up and sore," with Kratos as he was seen face-timing his daughter, shedding light on his role as a devoted father. He then asked Kratos, "When I saw the picture of you and your wife buying your first home man, how did that feel?"

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"To sign on that dotted line, you know it, yeah, I don't want to get emotional on national television. It was just a surreal moment for me, man, and to obviously share that with my best friend. You know, it was cool," Kratos said. "Everything you've been through in your life, everything that you've always wanted to overcome, everything that you've pursued in your life, all the sacrifices, all the hard work. I mean, and just to sign on the dotted line and to create a different life for my kids other than what I had, was, that meant more to me than owning the home. You know what I mean? I was able to give them a life that I never had."

Tyrus expressed his admiration and praise for Kratos's journey. 

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"You're a role model. Somewhere, there's somebody who looks a little bit like you and me going through a similar situation, [they're] going to say, ‘Man, I want to be just like that guy.’ Because I know if I was looking at you right now when I was a young man, I'd be like, ‘I want to be like that guy,'" Tyrus said. 

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