Former MTV star and skateboarder Ryan Sheckler opens up about alcohol addiction: 'It became unmanageable'

Professional skateboarder Ryan Sheckler is back in the public eye with new details about his past as a child star.

While promoting his upcoming documentary, Rolling Away, the former MTV personality revealed that he struggled with alcohol addiction following his years as the subject of the series The Life of Ryan.

"I got caught up for years and it became unmanageable," Sheckler told E! News in a new interview. "My passion for skateboarding was overtaken by my desire to drink."

As a young skateboarder, Sheckler found massive success, going pro at age 14 and making the jump from athlete to celebrity with the launch of his own MTV reality show, which ran for three seasons. He became famous, appearing as himself in various kids' shows, including What's New, Scooby Doo? and the Keke Palmer–led True Jackson VP. But the more his star rose, the more backlash he received from those in the skateboarding community who accused him of being a sellout.

"The hate started coming in from my peers that I respected, and they were talking behind my back," Sheckler recalled. "I was just an easy target. Honestly, it fueled me to skate harder and do more ridiculous things."

Sheckler said this negativity was a major contributor to his alcohol consumption, which became an unhealthy coping mechanism. But he also added, "I blame my drinking on myself. The show's not responsible for that. It was me."

In 2016, Sheckler entered rehab to treat his alcohol addiction. After years of maintaining his sobriety, he suffered a relapse in 2020 after attempting to drink again in moderation. Five months later, he reverted back to giving up alcohol entirely.

"Being sober is the best decision that I made for my life," Sheckler said. "There's no checking out. I have to deal with these emotions that come up, and that's where the power is."

The ex–reality star is now married to Abigail Sheckler, and they welcomed their daughter, Olive, in 2022. As for revisiting episodes of his childhood series, Sheckler said that while his wife likes to look back, he finds it difficult.

"I was a kid, so there's been a lot of life and a lot of growth that's happened," Sheckler explained. "It's hard to watch. Some episodes [are] just, like, a bratty little kid. That's where my life was at that point, and I didn't know any different."

Rolling Away, which has been years in the making, documents the serious injuries Sheckler has endured in the past five years, including a torn anterior cruciate ligament(or, ACL) and a broken vertebra in his lower back. He also pulverized the bones in his left ankle after a failed attempt to grind the cement railing of an 18-step staircase. During the "gnarly" recovery process, Sheckler recharged and became a born-again Christian.

"I'm actually happy about the injury," he said. "I learned a lot. That was a chance for me to grow spiritually, mentally, and physically."

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