Kumari Shreya
Peacock’s ‘American Nightmare: Becoming Cody Rhodes’ is a documentary movie that sheds light on the life of beloved World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) star Cody Rhodes (previously known as Cody Runnels), whose quest to create a life for himself and fulfill the dreams of his family is undoubtedly riveting to follow via the film. One of the key figures in Cody’s life is his mother, Michelle Rubio Runnels. This strong and determined lady’s contribution to her children’s lives has made her someone to be genuinely respected.
Who is Michelle Rubio?
Michelle Rubio married Virgil Riley Runnels Jr, AKA Dusty “American Dream” Rhodes, in 1978. Before this relationship, he was married to Dallas Cowboys cheerleader Sandra McHargue from 1965 to 1975. As such, Dusty was already a father of two, Dustin Runnels (AKA Dustin Rhodes, AKA Goldust) and Kristin Ditto, before he and Michelle tied the knot. It was not long before the couple established a life in Marietta, Georgia, while the wrestler continued working as a WWE star.
As they started the new chapter of their lives together, Michelle and Dusty became proud parents of Teil and Cody Rhodes, the latter of whom was born on June 30, 1985. Not long after this, Dusty decided to retire from the world of WWE as he wanted to be more involved in his younger kids’ lives, regretting the time he had lost when it came to his older children. Michelle certainly supported her husband’s decision and was highly involved in his life and that of Teil and Cody.
With Cody also making a name for himself, Michelle tried her best to be there for him. She urged him to try college when he decided not to pursue higher education after school. Michelle shares in the documentary that her son truly idolized his father and was determined to earn a WWE Championship title in his honor. No matter how much Cody learned from Dusty, it is easy to see that he also cherishes his mother’s opinions. In fact, when he got creatively frustrated over his arc as Stardust in WWE, one of the significant things stopping him from quitting was that he knew that Michelle would not be happy with it.
On June 11, 2015, Dusty passed away due to issues that had cropped up due to kidney failure. The unexpected turn of events truly shook the family, including Michelle, who continues to mourn the loss of the man she had called her husband for over 35 years. That said, she has soldiered on and remains an active part of the life of her loved ones. Even though Michelle could not make it to Cody’s WWE comeback match on April 2, 2022, due to her granddaughter’s wedding being on the same day, she called him to show her support.
Where is Michelle Rubio Now?
Michelle prefers a life away from the limelight and is inactive on social media. However, that has not stopped her from attending Cody’s matches when possible. Whenever she sees her son either in a tough spot or getting injured, she remains vocal about her concern and displeasure. In fact, the Royal Rumble 2023 saw Michelle voicing her frustration as her son faced off against Gunther. Similarly, she helped her son with his forehead cut and did his stitches after a hump went wrong during an All Elite Wrestling (AEW) Full Stuff 2019 event.
As of writing, Michelle is actively involved in the workings of the Dusty Rhodes Foundation, an organization established in 2022 that helps young children make a name for themselves in the world of sports. More often than not, she enjoys the company of her children and grandchildren. Michelle is a grandmother to at least three, including Kellan and Maris Gergel (Teil’s kids with husband Kevin Gergel) and Liberty Runnels, Cody’s daughter. We wish her and her loved ones the best in their lives and hope they have a wonderful future.
