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Hickenbottom was born on July 22, 1965 in Chandler, Arizona. The last of four children - Randy, Scott and Shari. He was raised in a military family and spent a brief part of his early years in Reading, Berkshire, England, but grew up in San Antonio, Texas. He knew he wanted to become a professional wrestler at the age of 12. Hickenbottom was already an athlete; his career began at the age of 6 when he started playing football. He was a stand-out Linebacker at Randolph High School and eventually became Captain of the football team. After graduating, Hickenbottom attended Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas, but soon realized that college life was not for him. Then he began pursuing the career of a professional wrestler.

He was then trained by Mexican professional wrestler Jose Lothario. Lothario suggested that Hickenbottom go by the ring name Shawn Michaels. After his training with Lothario, he debuted in Mid-South Wrestling in 1984 and later with Texas All-Star Wrestling (TAW) promotion. During his time with TAW, Michaels and Paul Diamond were awarded the TAW Tag Team Championship by Chavo Guerrero, Sr.

Hickenbottom also worked for Central States Wrestling. There, he and tag team partner Marty Jannetty defeated The Batten Twins for the Central States Tag Team Championship, later losing it back to the Battens. Hickenbottom also made several appearances in the Dallas, Texas-based World Class Championship Wrestling throughout 1985.

Growing up, Hickenbottom was never called "Michael" because he hated the name, so his family and friends just called him "Shawn". Ever since, he has been referred to as Shawn. Additionally, Hickenbottom moved around frequently since his father was in the military. He relates in his autobiography how he dreaded the first day at his many new schools, when the teacher would call roll and announce his surname of "Hickenbottom" to the class, which would evoke giggles and teasing because of its unusual sound.

In 1996, Hickenbottom posed in a non-nude layout for Playgirl magazine. It was not until after he posed that he discovered that Playgirl has a mostly homosexual readership, which was seen as humorous by his fellow wrestlers.

Hickenbottom`s marriage to his first wife, Theresa Lynn Wood, was brief and ended in divorce, but was amicably settled. He is now married to former WCW Nitro Girl, Whisper (Rebecca Curci). They were married on March 31, 1999 at the Graceland Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was a very small wedding ceremony. The only people present were Hickenbottom, Rebecca Curci, and an Elvis impersonator. Hickenbottom and Curci have a son, Cameron Kade (born on January 5, 2000) and a daughter, Cheyenne Michelle (born on August 19, 2004).

Hickenbottom has several tattoos. He has a tattoo of a heart with a sword through it with what appears to be a snake around it in the shape of an "S". He has one on his wedding finger, that has an R for his wife Rebecca. Another in his left wrist, it`s a bracelet design that says "Cameron" for his son. On his left leg he has a picture of his wife, the other leg has a picture of the state of Texas. Finally, he has a small broken heart with the letters "HBK" above it, tattooed on his right hip.

Hickenbottom is ambidextrous. This caused him problems as a boy playing football, as he had trouble differentiating between his right and left directions.

Hickenbottom is a fan of the San Antonio Spurs. H

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