Throughout the month of June, Brass Ring Media has been working to raise money for the NAMI Chicago organization in support of men’s mental health month. The fundraiser ends in two days and we’re nearly at our set goal. If you’re willing to contribute and help push us over the finish line, please donate now.
The goal of the NAMI organization is to provide access to mental health services to anyone that needs it, regardless of their financial status, age, or race. People need to have good people around them for support and not everyone does.
AEW star and Men’s Owen Hart Cup Tournament finals combatant, Will Ospreay, knows that better than anyone. Ospreay spent the end of 2025 and start of 2026 recovering from a serious neck injury. He underwent surgery to repair the injury and with that came recovery, ups, downs, and everything in-between.
The mental challenges of injury recovery
In a Brass Ring Media interview with Ospreay, he opened up on the mental challenges he faced while recovering from injury and why having the right support around him was so important.
“I have a wonderful wife who's supported me throughout all of this,” Ospreay said. “And an amazing stepson who's been a blessing to have by my side and experience this with. We've come a long way from me not being able to help him pick anything up, to where I am now, allowed to fully land on my head in a wrestling ring again.
Ospreay said that there definite downs during his time away from the ring. Support showed him that he would make it through and be ok.
“There have been a lot of downs — moments with no confidence in myself,” Ospreay said of his time away. “But my wife, my son, my family, my friends have instilled a lot of faith in me that I’m going to be fine. The mental challenges have been hard, but they’re not as hard when I’ve got really important people I can lean on.”
Ospreay has a chance to make good in person on that support from family and friends if he wins his match at Forbidden Door on Sunday night. If Ospreay can overcome and defeat Swerve Strickland, he’ll earn a shot at the AEW Men’s World Championship at the biggest AEW event of the year later this summer. That event is All In and it’s taking place inside of Wembley Stadium, which is in Ospreay’s home country of the UK. Stars aligned.
Mental health support for pro wrestlers and beyond
See? Mental health support is essential. For pro wrestlers and anyone else struggling through lows for whatever reason.
It’s more complicated than that, but not always. Not today. Support a good cause, so more people can get the support they need.
What’s your favorite Will Ospreay match in AEW so far? Hit the comments!
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