Johnnie Mae Young was born in Sand Springs, Oklahoma on March 12, 1923. She was the youngest of eight children (one died at birth). Her mother Lilly Mae Young was a single mother (her partner left to find work and never returned) living during the Great Depression. Young's oldest sister Inie was severely disabled by whooping cough at a very young age.

On the July 29, 2002 episode of Raw, Young returned along with longtime friend The Fabulous Moolah to promote Moolah's new book: "The Fabulous Moolah: First Goddess of the Squared Circle" before being attacked by 3-Minute Warning by orders of general manager, Eric Bischoff. On the September 15, 2003 episode of Raw, she accompanied Moolah into which came to be her last wrestling singles match before passing away, where she defeated Victoria before being attacked by Randy Orton and an infuriated Victoria. On June 15 at Bad Blood, Young appeared during a segment along with Stone Cold and Eric Bischoff where she stripped herself in the ring and performed a bronco buster on Bischoff before receiving an Stone Cold Stunner from Cold. In 2004, Young was inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum as part of their Lady wrestler category class of that year. On the September 23 episode of SmackDown!, Young teamed with Moolah and defeated Dawn Marie and Torrie Wilson. On March 23, 2005, Moolah and Young appeared on the Late Night with Conan O'Brien show to promote their 2005 documentary in which they starred in an about their 1950s heyday along with several other lady wrestlers of their era. On January 8, 2006 at New Year's Revolution, Young re-appeared along with Moolah during a bra & panties gauntlet match where she stripped herself before being attacked by Victoria as she left the ring, which led to both women retaliate and rip off Victoria's shirt. At WrestleMania 22 on April 2, Young appeared along with Moolah during a backstage segment with Snitsky. At WrestleMania 23 on April 1, 2007, Young appeared during a backstage segment along with several other WWE superstars and hall of famers. On the August 24 episode of SmackDown!, Young made a special appearance winning a Divas bikini contest. Mae's last appearance with Moolah before her death came at SummerSlam in August 2007, both appeared during a backstage segment along with Vince McMahon and Raw's general manager, William Regal, two months prior to her friend's death.

Did she win any awards or belts?
Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum as part of their Lady wrestler category class of that year.