Rapper Lil Wayne Offered Financial Assistance to Police Officer Who Saved His Life as a Child

Famous rapper Lil Wayne recently opened up about his struggles with mental health and revealed that he offered to financially help the police officer who saved his life when he was a child.

During an interview with Emmanuel Acho on the mental health-focused "Uncomfortable Conversations" series, the artist talked about how he tried to take his life when he was 12 years old.

According to Wayne, the officer, a man named Robert Hoobler, was the only one who worried about him while he was lying on the floor after he had shot himself in the chest.

PAYING BACK

Now, Hoobler, who Wayne refers to as "Uncle Bob," recently said that he encountered the rapper once again in 2019 and that he offered to provide him with financial support if he ever needed it.

Hoobler explained that the rapper was in New Orleans for a radio show at the time but that he hasn't taken his offer just yet. However, he said that there had been talks about him joining Wayne's administrative team.

Not only that, but this wasn't the first time the hip-hop star tried to pay Hoobler back for saving his life. In 2015, Wayne offered to pay for his funeral after reports that the retired police officer had passed away.

The rapper stated that God kept him alive long enough that day so he could be saved.

During the conversation with Acho, Wayne recalled how he would be in trouble with his mother after lying about being half a day at school and that she would throw out all of his rap books as punishment.

THE TURNING POINT

While at home, young Wayne contacted the police and informed them that he knew where his mother stored her gun and how he shot himself while looking in the mirror. He said:

"Started thinking I had to get myself mad and noticed that I didn’t have to. That’s what scared me. How I knew I had a mental health problem was when I pulled the trigger.”

The Grammy winner then told Acho how police officers kicked the door down and stepped over him to look for drugs and how Hoobler was the only one who refused to do it and was worried about him.

Wayne, who pleaded guilty to possession of an illegal weapon back in December, praised Hoobler for saving his life and stated that God kept him alive long enough that day so he could be saved.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. Other international suicide helplines can be found at befrienders.org.