A scripted relationship turned into a real-life marriage for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) executive Stephanie McMahon and wrestler Paul “Triple H” Levesque.
After splitting from fellow wrestler Joan “Chyna” Laurer in 2000, Levesque, 52, grew close to the businesswoman, 45, following a story line that involved him interrupting her onscreen wedding. Their dramatic romance on TV also led to issues offscreen, as WWE CEO — and McMahon’s father — Vince McMahon disapproved of her dating a wrestler.
“Before anything happened romantically [between us], we spoke to Vince about the situation, and he told us it was okay with him. Soon after that, though, he changed his mind. He said he gave it more thought and realized, ‘This won’t work out. You two cannot do this.’ He took it away just like that,” Levesque wrote in his 2004 book, Making the Game: Triple H’s Approach to a Better Body.
The split lasted just under one year before the Hall of Famer and Stephanie reconciled. “As for Steph and me, we tried to adhere to Vince’s wishes and cool it off, but after a while it just didn’t work,” he wrote. “It was too late to stop. We were in love. We ended up getting back together after about ten months, and Vince gave us the green light for good this time.”
Levesque popped the question in February 2003 and the pair tied the knot in October of that year. They have welcomed three daughters — Aurora, 15, Murphy, 13, and Vaughn, 11 — and Stephanie has frequently gushed about her husband’s parenting skills over the years. “#HappyFathersDay @tripleh and to all the Dads celebrating today!” she wrote via Instagram in June 2020, alongside a black and white photo of the New Hampshire native cuddling with his children.
She continued: “I couldn’t have asked for a better father to my children. Thank you for always being there with a shoulder to cry on, to play dress up, to get your toenails painted, to show them how to train, for always listening, being the audience for fashion shows, teaching them how to overcome their fears, and for wrapping your big arms around them when they need it most.”
Four months later, the former WWE performer commemorated their anniversary by sharing a photo that featured her gazing lovingly at her husband in the ring. “No words to describe how much I LOVE YOU!!!!! 17 of the most incredible years of my life!” Stephanie wrote via Instagram at the time. “I am grateful for you and our children every day and every day I appreciate you more. Forever 
.”
The twosome have navigated their fair share of ups and downs over the years. In September 2021, Levesque underwent emergency surgery after going into heart failure following a battle with pneumonia. “I was nose-diving and sort of at the 1-yard line of where you don’t want to be really, for your family and your future,” he said during a March 2022 appearance on ESPN’s First Take. “There’s moments in there when they’re putting you out for stuff and you think, ‘Is this it? Do you wake up from this?’ That’s tough to swallow and makes you think differently.”
Two months later, Stephanie announced that she was taking a leave of absence from the WWE organization to “focus on [her] family.”
Keep scrolling to learn more about Stephanie McMahon and Triple H’s relationship:
Stephanie's onscreen character was in a scripted relationship with Andrew "Test" Martin in 2000 and a large onscreen wedding between the two was planned. However, Levesque's character crashed the nuptials and revealed that he and Stephanie had already gotten married and the duo embarked on a quest to take over the company from Vince. Thanks to all of the time they spent together they started dating shortly after their faux romance began. "He was very flirtatious [and] he would drop hints [that he was interested],” Stephanie revealed during an interview with "The Howard Stern Show" in 2002. “It was a very touchy situation, he was coming on to me and I know that it’s forbidden in our business for me to date any of the wrestlers.” Bei/Shutterstock
Shortly after their relationship began, it came to an abrupt end. “[My dad] gave us the OK [to date] and then took it away because if we were really going to be together it would have to be a big deal and it would have to be the right thing do to," she told Howard Stern in 2002. "So, he let us come together and then he made us be apart — and we came back together again, and if it was meant to be, it was meant to be." Picture Perfect/Shutterstock
Levesque popped the question on Valentine's Day 2003. "It was a unique experience. If you’ve ever met Vince, any situation like that is a unique experience," the NXT creator told ESPN in April 2020 about proposing to Stephanie. "As we begin to have a relationship and that begins to grow, there’s every awkward moment that you could imagine that everybody has. That first dinner at your girlfriend’s at her parents house, except I’ve been working with her dad for all these years." MediaPunch/Shutterstock
Stephanie and Levesque tied the knot in Sleepy Hollow, New York, in October 2003. MediaPunch/Shutterstock
The couple welcomed their first child, Aurora Rose, in July 2006. The WWE Chief Brand Officer revealed in October 2019 that their eldest daughter was planning on following in her parents' footsteps. "My oldest daughter has already started training," Stephanie said during an appearance on First Things First. "And I would encourage them to follow their passion, you know, whatever they believe in, as long as they work hard at it. I believe in a strong work ethic and I believe they can do anything in the world they wanna do, but they're gonna have to believe in themselves and work hard." Broadimage/Shutterstock
Their second daughter, Murphy Claire, was born in August 2008. AP/Shutterstock
Two years later, Stephanie and Levesque welcomed their third daughter, Vaughn Evelyn. In May 2019, she described the girls as "the most precious gifts life has given me," in a Mother's Day Instagram post. Mediapunch/Shutterstock
After getting viral pneumonia in the fall of 2021, Levesque learned that he had fluid around his lungs and heart. He was rushed into surgery in September of that year, where doctors discovered that his heart was pumping at 12 percent when it should be at 55 to 60 percent. "I was in heart failure. Bad," he told Stephen A. Smith in March 2022. "[I was] sort of at the one-yard line of where you need to be — or where you don’t want to be, really, for your family and your future." Jason Merritt/Radarpics/Shutterstock
In the wake of his health scare, Levesque announced that he was retiring from the sport of wrestling in March 2022. "As far as in ring, which I get [asked about] a lot, I’m done,” the athlete said on ESPN’s First Take at the time. “I would never wrestle again. First, I have a defibrillator in my chest. Which, it’s probably not a good idea for me to get zapped on live TV." MediaPunch/Shutterstock
Two months after her husband's announcement, Stephanie revealed that she was stepping away from her corporate role in order to focus on Levesque and their kids. "As of tomorrow, I am taking a leave of absence from the majority of my responsibilities at WWE," she wrote via Twitter in May 2022. "WWE is a lifelong legacy for me and I look forward to returning to the company that I love after taking this time to focus on my family." She has yet to reveal when she plans to return. Andrew H. Walker/AWNewYork/Shutterstock
Stephanie walked back her leave of absence, taking over her father's position as co-CEO and Chairwoman of the Board. Vince voluntarily stepped down from the role amid allegations that he paid former WWE employees not to discuss his alleged affairs with them. Courtesy Stephanie McMahon/Instagram
"About eight months ago, I took a leave of absence, and within a few weeks, unexpectedly had the opportunity of a lifetime," Stephanie wrote in a statement via Twitter, announcing her decision to resign from her co-CEO and Chairwoman position. She added that her father would return to his position as Executive Chairman. "WWE is in such a strong position that I have decided to return to my leave and take it one step further with my official resignation," she shared. Frank Micelotta/PictureGroup for BCL/Shutterstock
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