Terry Crews opens up about beating his abusive father, and later forgiving him

Actor Terry Crews has spoken about his abusive childhood, and getting revenge on his violent father.

The actor and bodybuilder, who is known for being muscular, revealed that he began building strength in case he ever needed to fight his father, an alcoholic who was violent towards his mother.

Speaking to Bear Grylls on the latest episode of Running Wild with Bear Grylls, the 52-year-old said: "Growing up was not a good experience.

"My father was very abusive, you know, he used to beat my mother. And so, it was one of those things where I knew I would have to get stronger because one day I thought I’d have to fight him. That’s how it started out."

When Grylls asked if Crews ever did confront his father, he admitted that he ended up beating him in the year 2000, after he attacked his mother in front of him.

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He said: "We went home for Christmas, and my father decided to beat her one more time.

"I mean, he had gone years without touching her, and he hit her in the mouth, knocked her tooth sideways, and I was, like, I told him, ‘Get the kids out the house.

"Take the kids, everybody leave. Just leave me and him alone.’"

The actor then admitted he attacked his father.

"Bear, I beat this man," he said.

"I remember he was begging, begging, and all I could think of was, like, this is how my mother felt. How do you like it?

"And this is the thing, Bear. I thought it would feel good. And he’s on the ground, bleeding, crying, and I didn’t feel one bit better. It left me with nothing."

Years after beating his dad, Crews said he went to therapy and learned to forgive his father.

"That was the best thing I could ever think of to tell him," said Crews, visibly emotional.

"We hugged, he cried. Man, all I wanted was for us to be a family and for him to love my mother as much as we loved her. And then at that moment, I knew we had transcended."

Crews said that, while his relationship with his father still isn’t perfect, forgiveness has helped him "move on".

He said: "By me forgiving him, by me finding one thing to compliment him and be thankful for, I was able to transcend that moment and we were able to transcend it and, and get past it.

"And I find there’s a lot of things that you just have to cut your losses on. Move on, and reevaluate the situation as it exists today. And now, I have been able to move on."

The star also revealed that his interest in comedy originated from wanting to make his mother laugh during dark times.

He said: "There was a lot of sadness, you know, with my father being an alcoholic, and it being so violent at home, and I remember just being able to make her laugh, and she would just crack up.

"I mean, her laugh just reverberated all the way through the house. And, uh, it’s one of the things that gives me the most satisfaction today is making people feel good."

Crews’s mother Patricia died in 2015 at the age of 66 from an infection while battling cancer.

If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article, you can call the 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline free on 0808 2000 247, or visit the helpline’s website to access live chat services.