The IIconics Detail Mental Health Struggles In WWE

Cassie Lee and Jessie McKay, formerly known as the IIconics in WWE, have opened up about mental health struggles during their time with the company.

Lee, formerly Peyton Royce, explained that the struggles came about as a result of travelling and having a lack of time to spend with her loved ones.

Speaking on the first episode of the Off Her Chops podcast hosted by both former IIconics, Lee said:

“I use to get physically ill inside of airports. Like, put me on a plane getting to the next town. Remember that one time we had to pull the car over on the highway? I really thought I was going to throw up, and I feel like it just got worse every week.

“If I’m traveling for leisure, then sure. The airport is great and I love flying. Just give me a window seat – so I don’t vomit all over myself – but, I did not know when it was.

“It was different when it was for work for some reason. I just knew every time I got on a plane that I wouldn’t be back for five days. Then when I got home, I would only have two nights and in that time, I would have to do all my washing, rearrange my bag, run my errands, and I would maybe have half a day to myself to spend with my then-fiancé (Shawn Spears) and my dogs and it was just – it really took its toll on my mental health personally.”

McKay (Billie Kay) also spoke about a traumatic travel experience of her own, saying:

“Cass was behind me, in the middle seat. I’m in front of her. I’m sitting down and at this stage, no one has sat down on either side of me. So I’m like, ‘Oh, probably someone’s missed a flight. Sorry. You know, delay. hasn’t got through security, whatever’. A person sits down at the window. I’m like, ‘Okay, that’s all right’. The instant she sat down, I felt a little bit of anxiety and I was like, ‘Okay, you’re good, you can still move’. Then someone sits down next to me. Bless his heart, older gentleman. His wife was in the opposite aisle seat. So they wanted to be together, super cute. As soon as he sat down, I was trying to close my eyes and just breathe.

“Oh, my gosh, I start crying. I called the stewardess over. I said, ‘I’m so sorry. I’m about to have an anxiety attack. I need to get an aisle seat. Is there anything you can do?’. And she said, ‘No’. Literally said no and walked away. I look around to you and I’ve got tears in my eyes and I’m like, ‘Okay, that’s fine’. We get up in the air and I literally take my laptop, because I was watching a show, and stand next to the toilet for four hours. The stewardess was like, ‘You have to move’, and I was like, ‘I’m about to go crazy on this plane. So let me stand here and watch the OC!’

“Oh, my gosh. So that’s just two of the things that I guess were amplified by 1000 when you’re traveling and you don’t expect it. I mean, you didn’t expect to have panic attacks on the way to the airport and I’d expect to have panic attacks up in the plane.”

As the IIconics, Lee and McKay became one of the most popular duos in NXT and had significant fan support on the main roster too, and many fans were shocked when they were released by WWE this past April.

The IIconics had one reign with the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship having won them at WrestleMania 35 in April 2019.

If you are experiencing mental health struggles, information on where you can find support is available at this link.

Quotes via Ringside News & Fightful

• mental health
• peyton royce
• Cassie Lee
• wwe

Share this article with friends