VIDEO: Reds' Joey Votto opens up about losing his father in heartbreaking interview

Reds superstar Joey Votto opened up to Sam Ryan of Baseball Tonight about his struggles after losing his father in his rookie year. 

Votto, 30, describes 2010 - a year he won the National League MVP Award - as a time that was not good. 

In 2009, he was taken out of games multiple times for panic attacks, and noted he hated being on the field.

"The silly thing was, I was doing so great on the field, but personally, it was hell. Every night was not that much fun," Votto told Ryan.

"There were multiple times where I was alone and I felt like I needed to call 911 and get some help."

[Courtesy MLB.com]

It's still visibly difficult for Votto to speak about his father not being a part of his career, and he said the mental challenge took about three years to overcome. Votto is now involved in his own foundation that helps families in the greater Cincinnati area overcome mental health issues.