To that end, here’s a look inside the life of Danny Trejo.
“He’d say, ‘Stop here, lemme get some cigarettes.’
[He] comes out: ‘Go, go, go!'”
“I was basically his punching bag,” he continued.
“I had to learn to fight, or get my head beat in.”
“It was just chaos all the time.
That led to Trejo spending a significant amount of time out and about.
It’s not surprising, then, that Trejo turned to a life of crime early on.
He also started selling the latter.
“I’ve been in every prison in the state of California,” Trejo told Gonzalez.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available.
Visit theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration websiteor contact SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
Well, for one, he hustled.
But other than that, Trejo was known for his skills in boxing.
“I love boxing,” he proclaimed in a chat withSI.
“I think boxing is an art.”
Trejo was quite good, too.
“For a trainer I had a guy named Joey Abasta,” he shared withGrantland.
“Legend in the penitentiary.”
“I was the lightweight and welterweight champion of all three,” he continued.
It was here where Trejo found his bottom.
“‘You don’t need to get me out of this, I know what I’ve done.
Just let me die with dignity and I’ll say your name every day.
I’ll do whatever I can for my fellow man.'”
After being rescued from the very edge in a squalid holding cell, Trejo emerged a changed man.
Not long after that, he was paroled for the very last time.
That couldn’t have been easy, given how difficult life behind bars is.
“Prison is the most hopeless place in the world,” Trejo shared in an interview withEntertainment Tonight.
“I met a guy named Johnny Harris in prison.
Once on set, Trejo found himself in the midst of actors trying to play convicts.
“And they were all dressed up like convicts, and they had fake tattoos.”
And when they asked Trejo if they looked convincing, his answer, in a nutshell, was no.
“I was always Gang Member No.
1, or Thug No.
1 or Inmate No.
1,” he toldL.A.
But Trejo didn’t mind that.
“That’s what I’ve been all my life,” he added.
Still,Danny Trejo has a stunning net worth.
The pair separated back in 2007, and Trejo filed for divorce two years later.
Interestingly enough, things weren’t finalized until 2019 an entire decade later.
While Trejo and Shreve may not be romantic partners anymore, they still seem to get along well.
That tracks, as two of Trejo’s children have been diagnosed with autism, according toEntertainment Weekly.
It’s awesome that, no matter what, Shreve and Trejo have been able to co-parent!
“My kids are my greatest accomplishment,” he gushed in a chat withVariety.
“I just adore them.”
Fortunately, Danny was able to help both of them get sober, thanks to 12-step groups.
“The support group saved their lives.”
Most notably, Trejo has become a restauranteur, something that was inspired by his family life.
“She was a master at it.
We always joked about owning a restaurant.”
So, how did the doughnut thing come about?
“They refurbished the building and painted it bright pink,” he continued.
“It really brightened up the neighborhood.
Now it’s become a tourist attraction.”
Indeed, Trejo has paid it forward in a variety of ways over the years.
We are so here for this!
Additionally, Trejo has also published acookbook, inspired by his lifelong relationship with food.
“I love good food, and I love to see people eat good food.
I wanted to share this with everybody.”
Who else can boast such an ethos, especially after some seriously harrowing experiences in prison?
he shared in an interview withTexas Monthly.
“And he said, ‘You’re almost out of hell.
Keep it up, you’re doing great.'”
Keep it up, Danny!
