Lil Wayne Is Mourning A Tragic Loss

Lil' Wayne's relationship with a police officer may surprise some. But after a shocking incident as a very young boy, Wayne developed a lifelong bond with the police officer who saved his life.

Per All Music, Lil' Wayne, born Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr., started rapping at 8 years old and by 11 he was writing his own lyrics. By 1995, when he was 12 years old, Wayne was under the tutelage of famous hip-hop producer Birdman and signed to Cash Money Records (via Complex). Despite his extraordinary success, Wayne's mental health began to suffer.

"You can't bring it to your friends at school — you're still trying to be cool to them. You're not trying to let them know you've got something going on at home," Weezy explained in an interview on "Uncomfortable Conversations" with Emanuel Acho. Wayne credited a New Orleans police officer, whom he called Uncle Bob, for saving him after an attempt to end his life the same year he signed to Cash Money. Wayne and the officer, Robert Hoobler, became close and Weezy promised to be there if ever needed. Wayne also mentioned Hoobler's heroism in his song, "London Roads," in 2015. Now Wayne is mourning a tragic loss.

If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline​ at​ 988.

Retired New Orleans police officer Robert Hoobler saved Lil' Wayne after he attempted to take his own life at age 12. The rapper told Daily Mail that the officer rushed him to the hospital. "He didn't drop me off at the ambulance and say 'you take him,' he bought me to the hospital room [and waited] 'till the doctor said 'he's gonna make it.'"

Per NOLA Officer Hoobler, who was off-duty, held the future superstar in his lap. "Stay awake, son. You're going to be fine," Hoobler told Wayne as they sped to the hospital. Fellow officer David Lapene said of Hoobler, "He was always people forward."

Hoobler told TMZ in 2019 that Wayne offered financial support if needed. Sadly, he passed away at age 65, on July 23, 2022, following years of health issues including a long struggle with diabetes. Meanwhile, Wayne continues to speak openly about mental health. "There is no bar to measure how real [mental health is]," he told Emanuel Acho. "It's so real that if someone even has the guts, the heart, the bravery, whatever to at least admit that they have something going on [then we] should only react in the realest way possible."

If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline​ at​ 988.