As surreal as it was, 68 year old Dennis Stamp was finally able to have that “next match,” after waiting twenty five years for it. But as Dennis basked in the glory of his return, the sun began to set on another man’s career– one that was forty years his junior.
You hear it often. When you’re young, you think that nothing can harm you. You’re invincible. In our world of professional wrestling, this is especially true. You believe your spine is too powerful to break against the metal beams and wooden planks of a wrestling canvas. You grow immune to the falls, the chops, and the chairs. Eventually, it’s said that the punishment will catch up to you, and we ignore the warning. There is something we love about that physical torment, and we can’t give it up.
Then without warning or reason, it’s taken away. Despite the physical pain that a sore back, aВ broken bone, a dislocated limb, or a torn muscle might bring, I can imagine that Tim Donst would trade the mental anguish he’s feeling at the moment for all of the above.В
On Friday night, the Absolute Intense Wrestling locker room, and eventually the wrestling world, found out that the AIW Champion would have to vacate his title and walk away from the sport that he so desperately loves. After experiencing extreme back pain that brought him to his knees, Donst sought medical attention only for doctors to discover a tumor growing on his right kidney. Until further tests come in, nobody is sure whether or not the tumor has spread outside of the organ. What is for sure, unfortunately, is that to avoid damaging his only good kidney, Donst cannot wrestle– at least for now. Destroying his one kidney could leave him living a life on dialysis.
When you hear news like this, it really brings you back to reality. It makes you worry. It makes you question your own mortality. It makes you want to call a friend or a love one and tell them just how much you care. It’s shocking and scary to know that something like this can happen to someone you see on a regular basis.
I’m not going to sit here and write like me and Donst are the best of friends. We aren’t. We are acquaintances at best, sharing in small conversations, exchanging pleasantries, and complimenting each others shirts when we felt it was necessary.
I did get to talk to Tim last Friday, and I told him that I just didn’t know what to say. He replied by saying that it was okay. I demanded that he give me a hug, and we embraced. I told him that you never forget when someone takes the time to try and help you. I cited back in 2009, when I began talking to Mike Quackenbush about a possible opportunity in Philadelphia based Chikara. Knowing that Donst had moved to Cincinnati, Quack gave me his email to see if I was able to ride with him at some point.
I didn’t know then, but I should have gotten the idea that Quack had no perception of direction and how Donst driving from Cinnci to Cleveland, then to Philly would greatly inconvenience him and add substantial time to his travel. Despite knowing this, I e-mailed Tim, telling him that if we could ever work out travel arrangements logically, I’d be grateful to be able to ride with him. Donst and I exchanged a few e-mails, and Tim was polite and willing to help any way he could. A few months later, Donst and I met at Ohio Valley Wrestling as part of a WWE camp, where we got the chance to spar and chain wrestle with one another.
In 2010, I finally got to see Donst regularly as part of Chikara, and in my hometown, when he began working for AIW. In May of 2011, our paths crossed for the first and only time to date inside a ring. In the main event of the one and only Todd Pettengill Invitational Tournament (YES, that Todd Pettengill), I faced Tim Donst and Zema Ion in a Three Way Dance. To this day, it’s the best triple threat match I’ve ever had, and one of my favorite bouts ever.
Over the past week, Donst’s story has come to prominence, largely in part to Mick Foley sharing it on social media late Friday night. On Saturday, I just so happened to do a show with Mick, and thanked him to reaching out to Donst, letting him know that it had to feel incredible for Tim knowing that one of his heroes was thinking about him. Currently, Foley’s Facebook post on Donst has nearly 8,000 “likes.”
Tim, you may be down right now, but you’re far from out. I know you can fight this. Don’t worry. You don’t have to battle this alone. As Josh Prohibition said, “Wrestling is a brotherhood. Tim– we have your back.”
Support Tim Donst and send him well wishes on Twitter @TDonst.
-Greg
