01.05.2005, 14:20
Chase Stevens
An emotional Chase Stevens paid tribute to Chris Candido at Friday night's USA Championship Wrestling event at the Stadium Inn in Nashville.
Speaking to the crowd after a ten bell salute that brought out the entire USA locker room, Stevens told the audience how much Candido had meant to him and to his Naturals partner Andy Douglas. Stevens said anybody that saw this week's iMPACT could tell how much Candido was enjoying himself. Stevens went on to say how honored he was to have Candido call The Naturals "my boys".
Stevens wrestled Shawn Shultz in the main event, coming to the ring to Candido's ECW entrance music ("Back in Black"). The crowd chanted "Chris Candido" throughout the match that saw Stevens work a babyface style for the first time in Nashville in well over two years. When Stevens scored the pinfall the crowd erupted into a long ovation as they continued chanting Candido's name.
It was an emotional evening, one likely to be repeated at weekend shows that Candido had been scheduled to work.
Mike Tenay
Chris Candido was so dedicated to professional wrestling that he lived his whole life to be a part of the business. He was thrilled that TNA had given him another chance to do what he loved. While I've known Chris for years, my fondest memories of him will be from this TNA run. He was excited to be a part of the roster of a national company again and was intrigued by the combination wrestler/manager role. He always had the respect of his peers. He'll be missed ... but never forgotten.
David Sahadi
On a Friday night in the beautiful town of Chattanooga, seduced by the enchantment of spring, surrounded by glorious mountains, kissed by a starry sky, I find myself crying. And I don’t exactly know why. Except that these rivers of tears are because of Chris Candido.
When last I saw Chris he was crying, too. It was this past Sunday at the pay-per-view, up close and personal. He was sitting backstage in a wheelchair, surrounded by a dozen or so wrestlers, tears rolling down his puffy, red-faced cheeks. I will never forget that moment, the contorted leg wrapped in bandage and ice, the look of despair on his face. It was fifteen minutes after he had broken his leg in the very first minute of the very first match. In my ignorance, I thought his tears were because of his unconscionable physical pain.
“You’re mistaken,” said a TNA wrestler, who will go unnamed because his name is not relevant to the point I am trying to make.
“But he must be in so much pain,” I remarked, unknowing in my naivety.
“He’s not crying not because of the pain, but because he feels he just lost his spot on the roster.”
And then it hit me.
The physical pain was irrelevant: the pain emanated from his soul.
Had that been me, sitting in a wheelchair with a complex fracture of my lower leg, in need of major surgery, waiting for an ambulance to arrive, I would have been crying like an infant, overcome by the torment of physical pain. But not Chris. His pain was for one reason only: it was because at that very moment he thought his future, his passion, what he loved most in life, what he lived for was suddenly taken away. Little did he know his life would be taken away just a few days later.
It is well known that Chris battled personal demons a few years ago. Most importantly, Chris overcame them. From great depths he rose valiantly, like a phoenix amongst the burning ashes of a troubled past. He slayed his demons because his faced them head on, and in doing so became an inspiration to those who knew him.
For a brief moment tonight - and perhaps this is part of my personal sorrow - I look back at the dark side of this business with sadness, at a company I once worked for now embraced by paranoia and run by greed, at friends that no longer welcome friends into their homes because they work for “the competition”. I cry, too, because of their timidness and fear. Because they are lost, while Chris, although passed on, found himself, and a greater purpose, a long time ago. And it doesn’t seem fair that it takes his tragedy for us to realize what a special person he was.
Chris, you made the greatest of comebacks. You conquered your demons, you conquered the pettiness and trivialities and darks side of the business of this business. Thank you for being an inspiration, a light, a beacon of hope in a sometimes long, dark night. Thank you for making all those who knew you better for having known you.
Your brother, though I don’t know him, was right: you are an angel, and you went out the way you wanted to: “on top of the world…blonde, tanned, and having fun.” We should all be so lucky.
That is the greater picture. That is what this whole thing called Life is all about.
God bless you, Chris.
And God bless us all.
See you soon…
Bill Banks
It’s seems like such a long time since I first met Chris and Tammy in WWF in 1995 – then known as the BodyDonnas. I remember writing their first full-article in an early-1996 WWF magazine article, called “A Little Ditty About Chris and Tammy” – a play on the John Mellencamp hit. It was the “inside story” on Chris and Tammy’s life as high-school sweethearts that found fame in wrestling. I interviewed both for the article and they were generous enough to donate their own personal photos.
The reason I bring it up is that to this day, I cannot forgot how appreciative and happy Chris and Tammy were with having their first full article in the magazine. While I’m still relatively new to this business, it’s that same kind of excitement from young superstars that keeps me motivated in this crazy sport. It’s why I’m still in this after all the blood, sweat and tears – after WWF, after WCW and now with TNA.
Unfortunately, I saw Chris nearly lose that excitement during some of his dark days. The same Chris Candido I worked with in WCW was not the same Candido from WWE. Even after WCW ended, I continued to hear more heartbreaking stories about him. I thought the familiar demons had once again stolen the life and love from another person in this business.
In February of this year, Chris came back to wrestling with TNA and I made it a personal goal to interview him for the website. After all the hell he had been through, all the ups and downs both in wrestling and his personal life, it made me happy when I realized Chris had that excitement and happiness back in his life. Chris Candido had won – the demons had lost. During that interview, Chris taught me what it means to nearly lose everything in life – only to kick out and come back in the end. Above all, Chris reminded me why I’m still in the business.
I last saw Chris on Wednesday morning as he, myself, Dutch Mantel and TNA staffer Tim Welch took the same bus to the airport. Chris joked with the driver about the cast on his foot and shared stories about wrestling in Puerto Rico with Tammy, who was picking him up from the airport back home in New Jersey. Tim and I helped Chris bring his bags to the ticket counter, and I said a quick goodbye to him as we were cutting it close to catching our flight. Now I wish I would have stayed with Chris a little longer….
Goodbye Chris – we’ll all miss you back here
Bob Ryder
It's still hard to come to grips with the news that Chris Candido has passed away. It's almost too cruel to be true. Here's a guy who had battled his demons and had won the battle. He kicked the bad habits that had put him out of the wrestling business, and he was loving every minute of being involved in the business again.
Stories are making the rounds about the way Chris dealt with the horrific ankle injury he suffered at the Lockdown pay-per-view, and those stories say a lot about the dedication he had to make sure he didn't relapse into his old bad habits. He refused to stay overnight at the hospital on Sunday night and returned to the hotel we all were staying at in Orlando. I was coming out of the elevator and there he was...sitting on a luggage cart with a big grin on his face. He was, of course, upset that the injury had happened...but was happy that he had been reassured by everyone at TNA that his spot was not in jeopardy and that he would continue to accompany The Naturals to the ring. He was also happy after having talked to promoters who told him they were not canceling his bookings for upcoming shows, and was thrilled to have been told by doctors that he would be able to return to action much sooner than had been initially anticipated.
If you watched iMPACT this week, you saw how big a role Chris Candido would have continued to play in TNA. His charisma jumped through the screen, and he was a perfect fit for the role he was playing with The Naturals. After that match, Chris was ecstatic. He couldn't stop raving about how good the match was and how much fun he had being involved in it. He said he felt like a fan sitting at ringside, and that he was really enjoying working with Chase Stevens and Andy Douglas. He was proud of his boys.
I saw Chris on Wednesday morning as we were leaving the hotel to head to the airport. He was in good spirits, and was still talking about the match from the night before. I couldn't help but think of how happy I was that someone with his history had beat the odds and had turned his life completely around and was able to have a positive attitude even while dealing with such a serious setback as his ankle injury.
Much has been written (and will probably continue to be written) about the "wrestling deaths" that have plagued the industry in recent years. Far too many young wrestlers have died too soon, and Chris Candido will be added to that list. He should have an asterisk placed next to his name though, to indicate that he was different from many of the others on the list. He dealt with his demons. He won his battle. He turned his life around. He was on top of the world. His death is made more tragic by the triumphant way he had been able to deal with his problems.
To say Chris Candido will be missed is a tremendous understatement. In his brief time spent in TNA, he touched a lot of people....particularly some of the younger talent on the roster. His passing came as a total shock, and he will be remembered as someone who absolutely loved being a part of the wrestling business..
My thoughts and prayers are with Tammy and his family and friends.
An emotional Chase Stevens paid tribute to Chris Candido at Friday night's USA Championship Wrestling event at the Stadium Inn in Nashville.
Speaking to the crowd after a ten bell salute that brought out the entire USA locker room, Stevens told the audience how much Candido had meant to him and to his Naturals partner Andy Douglas. Stevens said anybody that saw this week's iMPACT could tell how much Candido was enjoying himself. Stevens went on to say how honored he was to have Candido call The Naturals "my boys".
Stevens wrestled Shawn Shultz in the main event, coming to the ring to Candido's ECW entrance music ("Back in Black"). The crowd chanted "Chris Candido" throughout the match that saw Stevens work a babyface style for the first time in Nashville in well over two years. When Stevens scored the pinfall the crowd erupted into a long ovation as they continued chanting Candido's name.
It was an emotional evening, one likely to be repeated at weekend shows that Candido had been scheduled to work.
Mike Tenay
Chris Candido was so dedicated to professional wrestling that he lived his whole life to be a part of the business. He was thrilled that TNA had given him another chance to do what he loved. While I've known Chris for years, my fondest memories of him will be from this TNA run. He was excited to be a part of the roster of a national company again and was intrigued by the combination wrestler/manager role. He always had the respect of his peers. He'll be missed ... but never forgotten.
David Sahadi
On a Friday night in the beautiful town of Chattanooga, seduced by the enchantment of spring, surrounded by glorious mountains, kissed by a starry sky, I find myself crying. And I don’t exactly know why. Except that these rivers of tears are because of Chris Candido.
When last I saw Chris he was crying, too. It was this past Sunday at the pay-per-view, up close and personal. He was sitting backstage in a wheelchair, surrounded by a dozen or so wrestlers, tears rolling down his puffy, red-faced cheeks. I will never forget that moment, the contorted leg wrapped in bandage and ice, the look of despair on his face. It was fifteen minutes after he had broken his leg in the very first minute of the very first match. In my ignorance, I thought his tears were because of his unconscionable physical pain.
“You’re mistaken,” said a TNA wrestler, who will go unnamed because his name is not relevant to the point I am trying to make.
“But he must be in so much pain,” I remarked, unknowing in my naivety.
“He’s not crying not because of the pain, but because he feels he just lost his spot on the roster.”
And then it hit me.
The physical pain was irrelevant: the pain emanated from his soul.
Had that been me, sitting in a wheelchair with a complex fracture of my lower leg, in need of major surgery, waiting for an ambulance to arrive, I would have been crying like an infant, overcome by the torment of physical pain. But not Chris. His pain was for one reason only: it was because at that very moment he thought his future, his passion, what he loved most in life, what he lived for was suddenly taken away. Little did he know his life would be taken away just a few days later.
It is well known that Chris battled personal demons a few years ago. Most importantly, Chris overcame them. From great depths he rose valiantly, like a phoenix amongst the burning ashes of a troubled past. He slayed his demons because his faced them head on, and in doing so became an inspiration to those who knew him.
For a brief moment tonight - and perhaps this is part of my personal sorrow - I look back at the dark side of this business with sadness, at a company I once worked for now embraced by paranoia and run by greed, at friends that no longer welcome friends into their homes because they work for “the competition”. I cry, too, because of their timidness and fear. Because they are lost, while Chris, although passed on, found himself, and a greater purpose, a long time ago. And it doesn’t seem fair that it takes his tragedy for us to realize what a special person he was.
Chris, you made the greatest of comebacks. You conquered your demons, you conquered the pettiness and trivialities and darks side of the business of this business. Thank you for being an inspiration, a light, a beacon of hope in a sometimes long, dark night. Thank you for making all those who knew you better for having known you.
Your brother, though I don’t know him, was right: you are an angel, and you went out the way you wanted to: “on top of the world…blonde, tanned, and having fun.” We should all be so lucky.
That is the greater picture. That is what this whole thing called Life is all about.
God bless you, Chris.
And God bless us all.
See you soon…
Bill Banks
It’s seems like such a long time since I first met Chris and Tammy in WWF in 1995 – then known as the BodyDonnas. I remember writing their first full-article in an early-1996 WWF magazine article, called “A Little Ditty About Chris and Tammy” – a play on the John Mellencamp hit. It was the “inside story” on Chris and Tammy’s life as high-school sweethearts that found fame in wrestling. I interviewed both for the article and they were generous enough to donate their own personal photos.
The reason I bring it up is that to this day, I cannot forgot how appreciative and happy Chris and Tammy were with having their first full article in the magazine. While I’m still relatively new to this business, it’s that same kind of excitement from young superstars that keeps me motivated in this crazy sport. It’s why I’m still in this after all the blood, sweat and tears – after WWF, after WCW and now with TNA.
Unfortunately, I saw Chris nearly lose that excitement during some of his dark days. The same Chris Candido I worked with in WCW was not the same Candido from WWE. Even after WCW ended, I continued to hear more heartbreaking stories about him. I thought the familiar demons had once again stolen the life and love from another person in this business.
In February of this year, Chris came back to wrestling with TNA and I made it a personal goal to interview him for the website. After all the hell he had been through, all the ups and downs both in wrestling and his personal life, it made me happy when I realized Chris had that excitement and happiness back in his life. Chris Candido had won – the demons had lost. During that interview, Chris taught me what it means to nearly lose everything in life – only to kick out and come back in the end. Above all, Chris reminded me why I’m still in the business.
I last saw Chris on Wednesday morning as he, myself, Dutch Mantel and TNA staffer Tim Welch took the same bus to the airport. Chris joked with the driver about the cast on his foot and shared stories about wrestling in Puerto Rico with Tammy, who was picking him up from the airport back home in New Jersey. Tim and I helped Chris bring his bags to the ticket counter, and I said a quick goodbye to him as we were cutting it close to catching our flight. Now I wish I would have stayed with Chris a little longer….
Goodbye Chris – we’ll all miss you back here
Bob Ryder
It's still hard to come to grips with the news that Chris Candido has passed away. It's almost too cruel to be true. Here's a guy who had battled his demons and had won the battle. He kicked the bad habits that had put him out of the wrestling business, and he was loving every minute of being involved in the business again.
Stories are making the rounds about the way Chris dealt with the horrific ankle injury he suffered at the Lockdown pay-per-view, and those stories say a lot about the dedication he had to make sure he didn't relapse into his old bad habits. He refused to stay overnight at the hospital on Sunday night and returned to the hotel we all were staying at in Orlando. I was coming out of the elevator and there he was...sitting on a luggage cart with a big grin on his face. He was, of course, upset that the injury had happened...but was happy that he had been reassured by everyone at TNA that his spot was not in jeopardy and that he would continue to accompany The Naturals to the ring. He was also happy after having talked to promoters who told him they were not canceling his bookings for upcoming shows, and was thrilled to have been told by doctors that he would be able to return to action much sooner than had been initially anticipated.
If you watched iMPACT this week, you saw how big a role Chris Candido would have continued to play in TNA. His charisma jumped through the screen, and he was a perfect fit for the role he was playing with The Naturals. After that match, Chris was ecstatic. He couldn't stop raving about how good the match was and how much fun he had being involved in it. He said he felt like a fan sitting at ringside, and that he was really enjoying working with Chase Stevens and Andy Douglas. He was proud of his boys.
I saw Chris on Wednesday morning as we were leaving the hotel to head to the airport. He was in good spirits, and was still talking about the match from the night before. I couldn't help but think of how happy I was that someone with his history had beat the odds and had turned his life completely around and was able to have a positive attitude even while dealing with such a serious setback as his ankle injury.
Much has been written (and will probably continue to be written) about the "wrestling deaths" that have plagued the industry in recent years. Far too many young wrestlers have died too soon, and Chris Candido will be added to that list. He should have an asterisk placed next to his name though, to indicate that he was different from many of the others on the list. He dealt with his demons. He won his battle. He turned his life around. He was on top of the world. His death is made more tragic by the triumphant way he had been able to deal with his problems.
To say Chris Candido will be missed is a tremendous understatement. In his brief time spent in TNA, he touched a lot of people....particularly some of the younger talent on the roster. His passing came as a total shock, and he will be remembered as someone who absolutely loved being a part of the wrestling business..
My thoughts and prayers are with Tammy and his family and friends.