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**Corkscrewed** · 11-13-2005, 05:04 PM

'No, no, not this. This can't be true. This can't be right. No.'

It hit me immediately. The full brunt of the meaning, tragedy, and historical significance of this moment hit me like vicious haymaker straight into my gut. That sinking pit in my stomach, that feeling of absolute forlorne despair, focused in the deepest part of my body, that feeling which I had rarely ever felt. That was what anchored me down as I tried to process this information. As silly as it might sound, I hadn't felt this feeling of absolute shock and sadness since the Twin Towers came tumbling down in New York, four years ago.

My favorite wrestler in the world, my favorite wrestler ever, was dead. Taken from us in the blink of an eye... or in this case, the sweep of one toothbrush. One moment he was in the prime of his life, full of vigor and vitality. And the next moment, he is looking down upon us all with the same vitality, only one lifetime removed, swept among the ethereal glow of the angels who have greeted him.

This is something I will never forget. "Where were you when you found out Eddie Guerrero died?" I was in my USC apartment. Nothing special. But that doesn't lessen the memory, or the pain.

How can someone I've never met affect me like so? Some might think this to be silly. "He was only a wrestler." Indeed, it's not like he was the President of the United States, or even a mainstream celebrity. "He competed in something scripted... dare I say, fake." And indeed, professional wrestling is not looked at as a most respectable sport by mainstream society. "You're being silly, getting so worked up for a wrestler."

No I'm not.

Eddie was not only a great wrestler, he was a great MAN. He was by no means perfect. Certainly, in his youth, his addiction to drugs and alchohol led to the spiral that nearly resulted in his death. He led a life of vice and abuse. He was not an angel for his entire life.

And yet, he found redemption. He found resolution. He found... himself. As admirable as a saint may be, a person who has sunken to the lowest depths of immorality and returned to genuinely gain penance and truly change himself for the better may be even more admirable. And that was Eddie.

Four years. He had been sober for just a little over four years. And in that four years, he had established a tremendous comeback, going from losing his job and nearly his family to being the greatest champion in the greatest federation of his sport. To fullfilling his lifelong dream. And in four years, he might very well have been on his way to a second tour of duty at the top.

Eddie was a true five star wrestler. He could work any match with any man and make it look like a million bucks. He could fly with the luchadores, tackle the grapplers, weave the underdog story against the hosses, work the mic like no other, and entrap you with his charisma. He was an beloved babyface character. He was a despicable heel character. He was a consumate ace in every aspect of wrestling.

But even the greatest wrestlers have their demons, and what is most remarkable, above all else, was that he was able to overcome them. That will gain my respect anyday. He recognized his vices. He defeated them. He became a living success story to any person battling addiction.

And now his death will become a testimony both to the ravages of addiction and the triumph of overcoming them. After all, in the short four years that he was sober, he was able to accomplish so much. So indellibly much.

Though this is personal speculation, the coroner will probably find the result to be heart failure as a result of a combination of past damage from drugs and alcohol and from possible steroid use. And that's a shame, but perhaps we can learn from this, if it indeed is the issue.

But this isn't about drugs. Or alcohol. Or any number of bad things he might have done. This is about Eddie. A human being who fell from glory but was able to climb back. He was a precocious boy and a great man, an example of how to conduct oneself both as a wrestler and as a person.

I will remember him, not for his vices, but for his victory over his vices. I will remember him for his amazing matches. His priceless promos. His colorful persona. His love and devotion to his family. His quiet, honorable nature. His passion for life.

My heart goes out to his wife, Vickie, as well as his three daughters, Shaul, Sherylin, and Katie Marie, and his mother. No parent should have to outlive his or her child. My sympathies to the Guerrero family, and to Eddie's friends.

The wrestling world has lost a shining star, a legend, and a great man.

Rest in Peace
EDDIE GUERRERO
1967 ~ 2005

==============================================

11-13-2005, 05:04 PM	#4
Corkscrewed Posts: 18,357	'No, no, not this. This can't be true. This can't be right. No.' It hit me immediately. The full brunt of the meaning, tragedy, and historical significance of this moment hit me like vicious haymaker straight into my gut. That sinking pit in my stomach, that feeling of absolute forlorne despair, focused in the deepest part of my body, that feeling which I had rarely ever felt. That was what anchored me down as I tried to process this information. As silly as it might sound, I hadn't felt this feeling of absolute shock and sadness since the Twin Towers came tumbling down in New York, four years ago. My favorite wrestler in the world, my favorite wrestler ever, was dead. Taken from us in the blink of an eye... or in this case, the sweep of one toothbrush. One moment he was in the prime of his life, full of vigor and vitality. And the next moment, he is looking down upon us all with the same vitality, only one lifetime removed, swept among the ethereal glow of the angels who have greeted him. This is something I will never forget. "Where were you when you found out Eddie Guerrero died?" I was in my USC apartment. Nothing special. But that doesn't lessen the memory, or the pain. How can someone I've never met affect me like so? Some might think this to be silly. "He was only a wrestler." Indeed, it's not like he was the President of the United States, or even a mainstream celebrity. "He competed in something scripted... dare I say, fake." And indeed, professional wrestling is not looked at as a most respectable sport by mainstream society. "You're being silly, getting so worked up for a wrestler." No I'm not. Eddie was not only a great wrestler, he was a great MAN. He was by no means perfect. Certainly, in his youth, his addiction to drugs and alchohol led to the spiral that nearly resulted in his death. He led a life of vice and abuse. He was not an angel for his entire life. And yet, he found redemption. He found resolution. He found... himself. As admirable as a saint may be, a person who has sunken to the lowest depths of immorality and returned to genuinely gain penance and truly change himself for the better may be even more admirable. And that was Eddie. Four years. He had been sober for just a little over four years. And in that four years, he had established a tremendous comeback, going from losing his job and nearly his family to being the greatest champion in the greatest federation of his sport. To fullfilling his lifelong dream. And in four years, he might very well have been on his way to a second tour of duty at the top. Eddie was a true five star wrestler. He could work any match with any man and make it look like a million bucks. He could fly with the luchadores, tackle the grapplers, weave the underdog story against the hosses, work the mic like no other, and entrap you with his charisma. He was an beloved babyface character. He was a despicable heel character. He was a consumate ace in every aspect of wrestling. But even the greatest wrestlers have their demons, and what is most remarkable, above all else, was that he was able to overcome them. That will gain my respect anyday. He recognized his vices. He defeated them. He became a living success story to any person battling addiction. And now his death will become a testimony both to the ravages of addiction and the triumph of overcoming them. After all, in the short four years that he was sober, he was able to accomplish so much. So indellibly much. Though this is personal speculation, the coroner will probably find the result to be heart failure as a result of a combination of past damage from drugs and alcohol and from possible steroid use. And that's a shame, but perhaps we can learn from this, if it indeed is the issue. But this isn't about drugs. Or alcohol. Or any number of bad things he might have done. This is about Eddie. A human being who fell from glory but was able to climb back. He was a precocious boy and a great man, an example of how to conduct oneself both as a wrestler and as a person. I will remember him, not for his vices, but for his victory over his vices. I will remember him for his amazing matches. His priceless promos. His colorful persona. His love and devotion to his family. His quiet, honorable nature. His passion for life. My heart goes out to his wife, Vickie, as well as his three daughters, Shaul, Sherylin, and Katie Marie, and his mother. No parent should have to outlive his or her child. My sympathies to the Guerrero family, and to Eddie's friends. The wrestling world has lost a shining star, a legend, and a great man. Rest in Peace EDDIE GUERRERO 1967 ~ 2005 ============================================== Last edited by Corkscrewed; 11-13-2005 at 05:33 PM.