“Shad Was Unhappy During These Times”- Roman Reigns Recalls Wrestling With Shad Gaspard

Former WWE Superstar Shad Gaspard tragically lost his life while at the beach with his son. His death was confirmed by authorities yesterday and met with prayers and condolences throughout the WWE fraternity. WWE Superstar Roman Reigns reminisced on his earliest memories with Gaspard in the FCW. Reigns took to Twitter to speak about his first match, where he had to face off against Shad, already a famous personality in the FCW by 2010. 

Reigns, who wrestled under the name Roman Leakee, went up against a larger, more experienced Gaspard. The bout went on as usual, with Roman displaying his usual athleticism and enthusiasm in the ring.

Roman Reigns remembers his first match with Shad Gaspard

“Shad was unhappy during these times, but he was still kind to me and took good care of me.” Roman said, referring to his initial days with Gaspard. Roman came from a family with a wrestling background and had cousins who were already well established in the sport.

Reigns spoke about Gaspard’s friendship with his cousin Umaga. “We rode to a couple towns together and he shared stories of his road experiences and his friendship with my cousin Umaga/Eki. Now they rest together.” His cousin Umaga had passed away in 2009, before Reigns entered the FCW. He was an established WWE wrestler.

Roman’s words show that Shad was a compassionate soul through and through. Although Reigns was apparently an irrelevant rookie at the time, Shad took him under his wing and made him a better performer.

Shad had a brief but memorable stint in the WWE, where he was a part of the duo Cryme Tyme. This duo, with JTG, went on to become a relevant and entertaining part of Monday Night RAW, featuring in a few pay-per-view events.

Gaspard’s death was extremely sudden and tragic. But his memory will always be cherished among his friends and family. He is survived by his wife and his son, who he had valiantly saved from drowning in the sea.