By James Caldwell, PWTorch.com assistant editor

Former WWE Intercontinental champion Tito Santana survived the 1980s drug and steroid culture in pro wrestling by staying close to his family and saving his money. In that regard, he feels like his ending is different than the sad, tragic ending in "The Wrestler."

Santana says he's watched "The Wrestler" and found the movie true to form of the 1980s culture of pro wrestling when WWE's Vince McMahon controlled a significant portion of the industry and demanded wrestlers meet scheduled appearances.

"You couldn't take a day off," Santana said. "If you did - they could get rid of you." This put a strain on his home life, but Santana says he called home several times per day to ensure his family was a priority.

"I spent 12 years on the road, visiting and stopping over at my home when I could," Santana told the New York Times for a significant news story. "My wife raised our sons. I'd say 90 percent of wrestlers I knew were married a second time or more. Lots of partying."

Drug and steroid dependence became part of the routine, Santana says, because of how many dates the wrestlers were being scheduled for. McMahon leveraged the national TV spotlight against the wrestlers to keep them on the road if they wanted a good spot on TV and make money in the wrestling business.

"I was a very dependable person," Santana said as to why he was kept around in WWE for over a decade. "In the 12 years, I missed just twice, once when I asked permission to be with my wife for the delivery of our second baby."

He turns his attention to the drug issue: "They knew I wouldn't get busted for drugs. I wasn't involved the way a lot of wrestlers were."

Santana reveals the type of atmosphere wrestlers faced. He says dealers were at the airport or various stopping points for WWF wrestlers to help fuel their addictions.

"We'd get a pay advance every night, and it was such a grueling job a lot of guys turned to drugs," Santana said. "When we flew to a new place, the dealers were waiting for us - pain pills, steroids, pot, cocaine."

Santana now lives in New Jersey with his wife and kids. He's a full-time Spanish teacher and wrestles independent dates on occasion, which is what drew New York Times reporter Michael Winerip to the story of a 1980s WWF wrestler who actually survived the era and is thriving now.

"After this match, Mr. Santana took the $900 he made from souvenir sales and the bout, and before midnight, was home to his three acres on the hill and his wife of 27 years," reports Winerip.

Link: New York Times article on Santana.

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