WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan says he had his finger on the trigger of a gun and was about to kill himself when he received a phone call from a concerned celebrity friend.

The New York Daily News has published quotes from Hulk's new book "My Life Outside the Ring," where he describes hit rock bottom after the nasty breakup with his wife of 23 years and coping with Nick's car accident that put Nick in jail and left family friend John Graziano brain-damaged.

Hulk says he did everything he could to keep his family together. "I practically begged her, 'Please, don't file. Our son's just had this accident -- if we do this now, it'll make us look like the Britney Spears family. Please, don't file for divorce.'" Hogan calls Linda an abusive alcoholic who once threatened to beat Nick with a wine bottle. Hulk says the extend of Linda's crazy side was never really seen on their "Hogan Knows Best" VH1 reality show because "There were plenty of times when Linda would lose it, but no one wanted to see that kind of ugliness on TV."

Hogan then describes a darker chapter in his life, where he almost committed suicide. Hulk said one day while filming NBC's "American Gladiators," he downed a heavy cocktail of rum and the anti-anxiety medication Xanax. Later in the day, he received a phone call from co-host Laila Ali, daughter of boxing great Muhammad Ali, who was concerned for him after noticing he seemed distracted at work. Hogan said in the book that he had reached for a gun and put his finger on the trigger when Ali called.