EXCLUSIVE: Playboy model and wrestling commentator Mayra Dias Gomes has made a public plea as she opened up on her sobriety journey and pain felt after friend Shifty Shellshock’s death
A Playboy model has shared a candid message on Mental Health Awareness week as she calls on the public to “stop rewarding perfection”. Brazilian-born model, writer and wrestling commentator, Mayra Dias Gomes, instead thinks people should “start honouring persistence”.
Her plea comes as she continues her sobriety journey. Mayra, 37, exclusively told the Mirror: “I’ve been sober for over four years, but sobriety is about so much more than abstaining. Some days I move through life with clarity and strength. Other days, I’m just trying to survive.
“There’s space now for reflection, for growth, and for peace I never used to believe was possible. That’s the work. I’m still in it.”
And she admitted that she is opening up in public as she feels it is important for those in the public eye to talk openly. “When people in the public eye talk openly, it gives others permission to drop their mask too,” she said.
“So many people are suffering quietly because they don’t want to be seen as broken. But silence can be fatal. Talking doesn’t solve everything, but it lets light in. It reminds us that we don’t have to carry everything alone.
Mayra also praised her close friend Shifty Shellshock for publicly sharing his struggles prior to his death.
The Crazy Town singer, whose real name was Seth Bizer, died aged 49 in June last year. His death shocked his fans, with the band’s manager, Howie Hubberman, revealing that drugs played a role in his death.
At the time, he told PEOPLE: “Seth Binzer, after struggling with addiction and Crazy Town’s rapid success with ‘Butterfly,’ never was able to reach out on a more successful level to deal with his addictions. We all tried, but ultimately we all failed, or Shifty would still be here.”
The County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner later concluded that the effects of fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine were responsible for the star’s death, and ruled the manner of death as accidental.
Mayra knew of the star’s struggles firsthand. Speaking of their connection and her loss, she said: “It’s been almost a year, and I still feel like I’m grieving.
“There’s something about losing someone who meant so much to your younger self that just stays with you. I often talk about him with one of his best friends, Oscar Brown, who misses him dearly. “
Mayra explained how Shifty was “someone whose lyrics shaped me long before I ever knew him personally”. She later went on to be romantically connected to the star and admitted: “During those times, I saw firsthand what his struggles looked like in the everyday moments.”
She candidly revealed how Shifty would always be open with her about his mental health. “I think he trusted that I could see what was beneath the surface, and that I wouldn’t judge him for it,” she explained.
“That’s the kind of safety we shared. And he was really proud of me for getting sober. He always wanted to go to meetings together.”
Mayra, also praised Shifty for allowing the world to “witness parts of his journey” through shows like Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew and Sober House. In them, he “allowed people to see not just his pain, but also his deep desire to heal,” she went on.
“In many ways, he used his music to metabolise that pain, turning his experiences into something others could hold onto. He never pretended to be perfect. He wanted to get well, and at times, he was.”
Just eight weeks before Shifty’s death, the star took to Instagram to open up about his struggles with sobriety. He shared at the time: “I’m a lover than a fighter …but the one I need to love more Instead of fight with is myself .. mr shifty true Love # Sober alive and grateful (sic)”.
Mayra went on to share a candid message that she would have told Shifty if he was still here. “You’ll be remembered not just for the struggle, but for the strength it took to keep going,” she emotionally said.
“For your talent, your passion, your resilience. For the way you turned pain into poetry and chaos into sound. You weren’t defined by addiction, you were so much more than that. You were a father, a friend, a force. You mattered because you made people feel less alone. And that doesn’t go away. That stays forever.
And in a plea to the world of showbiz, Mayra added: “Behind every headline is a human being, often isolated, often struggling, and rarely offered real help. The system glamorises the highs and abandons people during the lows. That has to change.
“We need structures that protect, not exploit. Accessible, ongoing mental health and addiction support should be standard, not optional.”
*If you are struggling with mental health, you can speak to a trained advisor from Mind mental health charity on 0300 123 3393 or email info@mind.org.uk
