The 9 Saddest Things About The Bella Twins

The following article includes mentions of domestic violence, depression, and rape.

The Bella Twins seem to have it all. Gorgeous, strong, and talented siblings Nikki Bella and Brie Bella have the world at their feet with beautiful families and hugely successful careers. It's no surprise then that they're such fan favorites, and it's equally no surprise so many fans think they know literally everything there is to know about the twins after they put their lives on reality TV via E!'s "Total Divas" and its spin-off "Total Bellas" for so many years.

"We all told ourselves we had to be an open book. If you're going to do reality [TV], you need to do the good and the bad," Brie explained of why they're so candid and open while speaking to SI in 2018. "I think that's why so many people love Nicole and me. We're real and honest. There are some really intimate conversations between Nicole and John. I think my sister is just like, 'Other women go through this,' and she wants them to feel like they're not alone."

That seems to be a mantra the sisters have carried into several different aspects of their lives, as the duo has been extremely candid about a multitude of trials and tribulations they've experienced over the years — and, looking back on their many hardships, it's safe to say the Bella Twins have certainly been through a lot.

Nikki Bella and Brie Bella have gotten pretty honest about the difficult childhood they had, sharing how much their parent's divorce — and all the tension that was in the house before they decided to go their separate ways –- really affected them. "My parents were kids trying to raise kids. The situation wasn't easy, but we did feel like it was important to tell that story because we know there [are] a lot of kids in our situation, who don't have the most pleasant childhood, and it can either make or break you," Brie explained to Hollywood Life in 2020, referring to her and Nikki Bella telling much more about their difficult childhood in their memoir, "Incomparable."

In the book, the twins spoke openly about their dysfunctional family and how they began to realize by visiting friends' homes when they got a little older that their life at home wasn't normal. "A lot of what happened to us was borderline acceptable, hotly debated but not officially labeled as abuse; it was certainly not as stigmatized as it is now," they wrote. The twosome also recalled their father Jon Garcia's troubles when they were kids, claiming he found it difficult to control his temper. "It wouldn't take much, sometimes just a day that was too hot — but he would get worked up and angry to the point of blacking out," the sisters shared.

In another very candid admission, Nikki Bella got extremely candid about two of the darkest times in her life after being raped twice as a teenager. Writing in her and Brie Bella's memoir, "Incomparable," Nikki recalled being taken advantage of by someone she trusted and considered a friend when she was aged 15. The second time Nikki was sexually assaulted, she explained she was 16 years old and was drugged by an older man. "There is the horrible offense in the moment, and then the shame and blame that follow and feel almost worse than the original pain," the WWE star bravely shared. "When something like this happens to you, you understand the blame-the-victim mentality, how easy it is to feel shame rather than anger, how easy it is to feel like you could have stopped it yourself."

Nikki also spoke out to People in 2020 about the horrific incidents, explaining they had a lasting effect on her romantic relationships because she started to believe she deserved to be treated badly. "I immediately just felt so ashamed and blamed myself, and that's what made me want to keep it such a secret. And keeping that a secret and blaming myself, I started to lose my confidence. I started to disrespect myself," she shared. "And then the relationships I got into at a young age, I let other people disrespect me and felt like, that's okay, this is what I deserved."

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

The Bella Twins got into a scary physical altercation with their parents, Jon Garcia and Kathy Colace, while they were in high school, which stemmed from a falling out with their father. Brie Bella and Nikki Bella explained in "Incomparable" that they both refused to speak to their dad after he walked out on them on Christmas Day with another woman — which made him angry. "Nicole and I were furious and would have nothing to do with him, much less continue with the charade that we were a normal family," Brie explained. "From what I recall, my mom got in Nicole's face, and Nicole pushed her back; my dad hit Nicole in the face, and she fell into the curtains while I jumped on his back to stop him." After that, Brie recalled that her dad picked her and Nikki up and threw both of them out. "Both of my parents were responsible for that," she wrote. After being forced out, the sisters were then essentially homeless for a few days and had to stay at a friend's house.

Years later, Brie and Nikki decided to reunite with their dad, which was filmed for a 2020 episode of "Total Bellas." Nikki shared she hadn't seen her dad for five years before they decided to meet up with him, stating (via E! News), "We've been in and out of each other's lives. And it's just been a rocky relationship."

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.

Following the birth of Nikki Bella and husband Artem Chigvintsev's son, Matteo, in 2020, Nikki explained during a 2021 episode of "Total Bellas" that she was particularly struggling while Chigvintsev was away due to "Dancing with the Stars" commitments, leaving her home with their son. "It's been so f***ing hard. I'm trying to keep it together, and I'm about to lose it. I'm about to have a massive breakdown, and I could tell the doctor could tell yesterday," Nikki told Brie Bella (via Daily Mail), sharing the doctor suggested medication, something Nikki refused. She gave further insight into her struggles during a confessional video, saying of Chigvintsev, "It's really hard doing this all on my own. I think what's hard is when the person isn't recognizing what's going on, like you're screaming inside, but he's not hearing it."

But that sadly wasn't the only time the Bella family struggled with postpartum depression. Brie explained she thought her husband, Bryan Danielson, also experienced the symptoms following the birth of their daughter, Birdie, in 2017. She explained in "Incomparable," they found it difficult to find a balance when they became parents for the first time. "It is actually not uncommon among men — even though it is rarely discussed. I had been on a nine-month physical journey of connecting with Birdie: My body was transforming to accommodate her in real-time. He had nothing physical to attach to," she wrote (via Us Weekly).

If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.