Rest in Peace Shad Gaspard

Shad Gaspard, better known for his time as a WWE wrestler, was found dead after being caught in a riptide at Venice Beach with his 10-year-old son. Both Gaspard and his son were caught in the current, but Gaspard told the lifeguards to save his son before saving him. Gaspard was then overcome by a wave, and his body washed up on shore earlier today. Gaspard was 39 years old.

It’s hard to put together the words to describe this situation. When the story first came out that Gaspard went missing, my heart completely shattered. Growing up a huge wrestling fan, Gaspard was someone that would be on my television every week. His tag team “Cryme Tyme” with JTG was one of the most memorable groups from my childhood. After learning that this all happened because he was saving his son shattered my heart even more.

After reading countless tweets and social media posts about Gaspard, I couldn’t believe how kind, genuine, and loved he truly was. Every tweet I read about him mentioned how special of a person he was. He was brave. He was courageous. He was a hero.

Since Shad has been trending on Twitter the past few days, fans have been able to recall memories from not only his wrestling career but personal life too. In 2016, Gaspard stopped a robbery at a gas station. A man pulled a gun on him, but instead of running, Gaspard handled the situation and made sure nobody else got hurt. Gaspard told TMZ:

“Honestly, the first thing I thought was I don’t want him to hurt anybody else. My thought process wasn’t of me being safe. My thought process was he has a gun and there’s other people and I don’t want to hurt anybody else. And I’d rather try to stop somebody and other people get away than get shot in the back from running like a coward.”

If I could ever be 1% as brave and selfless as Shad Gaspard was in my life, I’d consider that an accomplishment. This man exemplifies what it means to be a hero. The last thing he ever did on this Earth was save his son. After reading these posts and learning how great of a guy he was, I know he would do the same thing a million times over.

In the midst of what’s going on in the world, this tragedy should remind us to be grateful for each day. Tomorrow isn’t promised. Hell, tonight isn’t even guaranteed. Everybody has a plan for today, tomorrow, or the next day, but sometimes those plans don’t happen. Hug your loved ones tight and tell them you love them. In a time of uncertainty like we’re living in now, it’s important to check up on and tell the people closest to you how much you love them.

It’s a sad day knowing Shad Gaspard is no longer walking this Earth with us, but we should all take something from this tragedy and implement it into our lives. Think of how you can help others like Shad did. Think of how you can love your family a little more like Shad did. Enjoy every day and be thankful you wake up each morning because that alone is one of the biggest blessings we can receive.

Here are some classic Shad Gaspard and Cryme Tyme moments for you to enjoy. Rest in the greatest Peace, Shad Gaspard. Your life and your last courageous act will never be forgotten.


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