Tim Donst · @tdonst
1st Jun 2020 from TwitLonger
My Danny Havoc Blog.
I don’t know where to begin when describing my friend Danny Havoc. I could start with the fact that he was willing to take the most high risk wrestling moves of all time into violent, death defying contraptions, that he more than likely manifested himself from his very own tiny black notebook. I could tell you about how he preferred to wrestle in these dangerous style bouts despite the fact that he was a technician and a well diverse athlete that easily didn’t have to participate in them. Or I could simply tell you how he was one of the smartest, sweetest, funniest and sincerest people I have ever met in my entire life.
I always replied “Danny Havoc” as an answer to when I was asked “ Why do you wrestle?” It wasn’t just the thrill of the performance or the traveling of the world that appealed to me in this profession - it was the fact that I got to become friends with people that I would have never interacted with otherwise. Danny enjoyed music from bands I had never even heard of, he had piercings and tattoos while I shunned away from needles and yet somehow, some way, we had found this kinship in professional wrestling. A guy that I would have never even talked to in high-school, I became the best of friends with simply on the basis that we both loved this wacky world of professional wrestling so very much.
I finally got the opportunity to wrestle Danny Havoc in AIW in Cleveland, Ohio. Chandler Biggins, one of the promoters of the company knew I had trained along with Danny and thought that my first true test of a “death-match” bout should be with a real life friend. When we got to the building Danny immediately pitched the idea that he wanted to take a ‘Death Valley-Driver’ (an overhead, impact move) from a turnbuckle (some 8 feet in the air) onto a pure metal guardrail sprinkled with a bundle of fluorescent light tubes. He didn’t try to talk me into taking something gross or dangerous. His very first instinct upon arriving that day was an idea of something I could give him, something that would make me look “strong” and “powerful” in this fictional world of professional wrestling. In a realm where you're only as good as your opponent makes you look, Danny went out of his way to make sure I was perceived as Superman.
In the very same match, Danny heard that a fan made a gross, disgusting contraption to be used in our bout - a wooden board glued with light tubes and sharp fish hooks - he was given the option not to use it (in fact I told him not to use it) but he insisted on it anyway. His excuse being that "if a fan took the time to create such a maniacal device - therefore a fan fully expected to see him land and suffer in said device." He didn’t care how much it made him bleed or how badly it hurt, he only cared about making sure everyone went home happy.
I for one was beyond happy when I finally debuted for CZW in 2015, after making it a goal of mine since discovering the company at the tender age of 16. Despite a well received and meaningful feud with Joe Gacy, I quickly found myself lost in the chaotic shuffle of the company’s roster. Nothing I did or said was noticed by management and I quickly found myself trying to stay afloat, struggling to stay booked on the shows. Once Danny got wind of my predicament, he went above and beyond and immediately went to fix the situation. Danny INSISTED that he work with me in order to help cement my permanent spot on the roster.
It meant that much more to me as his career was slowly winding down and he only had a handful matches left to participate in. Danny was already a certified LEGEND in the company at the time and any opportunity to interact with him meant I’d gain credibility with not only the company but more importantly the fans. After hearing of my personal tragedy regarding my father, Danny pushed for us to work together that much harder. In fact, he was the only guy in the company to call me and check on my mental health following the darkest days of my life. Danny knew that by keeping my fragile mind occupied by planning upcoming wrestling maneuvers and fictional story-lines that I would be distracted and far less likely to submit to my overwhelming depression. He had successfully looked out for my safety both in and out of the ring.
Oddly enough my favorite match with Danny Havoc no one will ever see. During our training days at the CHIKARA Wrestle Factory in Philadelphia, we were paired up to wrestle in a practice bout during class in front of our trainer, Mike Quakenbush. Mike, a world renowned wrestler, trainer, promoter and even a guest technician for the WWE training facilitate sat back and evaluated the bout. After seeing the 10 minute match Mike’s ONLY response to our teenage selves was “this is the worst match I have ever seen.”
For some bizarre reason, that always stuck with us in a positive way. Danny and myself over the years held Mike's statement with an unmatched pride. I mean, after all - how many matches did the world traveling trainer see and yet somehow WE had managed to have pulled off the very WORST match of ALL TIME?!?!?! Because of that testament, every match we had following regardless of execution or reception of the bout, we'd race to find one another in the locker-room simply so that we could be the first declare, "At least its better than the worst match of all time."
It breaks my heart that due to the corona virus Danny Havoc won't have the traditional 10 bell salute to pay respect at wrestling shows all over the country that he so clearly deserves. It pains me that his passing happened at a time that I won't be able to attend a HIGHLY populated funeral where he’d be able to look down and see how many people gathered that absolutely adored him. One of Danny Havoc's greatest flaws and yet biggest accomplishments was the fact that he never realized just how much of an influence he had on our sport. Danny was inspired to get into the businesses after idolizing icons and yet somehow never realized that he had
become one himself, single handily leading a generation to follow their dreams.
I don't know how to end this. I wish I would have texted you more. I wish I would have called you one last time. But with tears in my eyes as I write this, I know you would have patted me on the back and told me not to worry about it. I love you for all that you're worth and more.
Rest in Peace my friend.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbNw1_ewqY8&t=4s