25/08/2023
I never met either of these men, never personally knew them. And to those that did, my thoughts and prayers go out. Their families and friends, those are the ones who are truly hurting. And I pray they get through these losses as peacefully as possible.
But as a wrestling fan, it always hurts at least a little when you hear of the passing of those who have entertained you through the years. And losing both of these men, just days apart, is very shocking. One had a long and storied career that had touched and influenced so many, and the other one of modern day’s biggest stars, that was destined for big things in the business.
I never was the biggest Terry Funk fan. Don’t get me wrong, I had nothing against him, even enjoyed seeing him on my tv screen, but he was never really one of “my guys”. But I am a big Mick Foley fan, and Terry was a friend and mentor of Mick’s. And it was through Mick and my best friend Will, that I really learned about Terry and his lasting impact on the wrestling business, his influence on the wrestlers that followed him, and the impact on his many fans. My biggest Terry Funk memory is him meaning so much to ECW as they were trying to establish themselves, and headlining their first pay per view.
Bray Wyatt had me interested since I first saw him. He debuted as Husky Harris, and although that didn’t last long, I liked him and saw something special in him. Little did I know just how special, as he a few years later he debuted the Bray Wyatt character. And from the crazy cult leader, to the host of the Firefly Funhouse, to the Fiend, Bray showed such creativity and great character work.
RIP Terry Funk and Bray Wyatt
You both will be missed
