Ahead of this Friday night’s Hall of Fame ceremony, WWE has released an emotional tribute video honoring the late Shad Gaspard. The video was written and narrated by author Mark Kriegel of ESPN.
The video looks at Gaspard’s career as a professional wrestler, the relationship he had with his son Aryeh, and how Gaspard died while heroically saving his from drowning.
Gaspard tragically passed away in May 2020 at the age of 39. While swimming with his son at Venice Beach, California, they were caught in a rip current. Lifeguards then raced out to Gaspard and his son. Gaspard directed the lifeguards to save his son first. As they returned for Gaspard, a large wave hit him, and he never resurfaced. His body was discovered days later after the Coast Guard suspended their search.
Gaspard, who competed in WWE from 2006 to 2010 as a member of Cryme Tyme with JTG, will posthumously receive the Warrior Award at this year’s WWE Hall of Fame ceremony.
The Warrior Award was created in 2015, a year after the sudden death of The Ultimate Warrior, days after his Hall of Fame induction in 2014. Warrior called for an award to honor the unsung heroes of WWE’s production team. Still, the definition was expanded “to an individual who has exhibited unwavering strength and perseverance and who lives life with the courage and compassion that embodies the indomitable spirit of The Ultimate Warrior.”
Other recipients of the Warrior Award through the years have been Connor “The Crusher” Michalek, Joan Lunden, Eric LeGrand, Jarrius “JJ” Robertson, and longtime WWE employees Sue Aitchison, Rich Hering, and Titus O’Neil.
The 2022 Hall of Fame Class consists of The Undertaker, Vader, Queen Sharmell, and The Steiner Brothers. The ceremony is taking place at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, following this Friday night’s episode of WWE SmackDown. The ceremony will air live on Peacock in the United States, and WWE Network everywhere else.