The Way I see It.
By Afa "The Wild Samoan"
It has been a tough time with a lot of grieving. On September 29, 2009, the Islands of Samoa, American Samoa and Tonga were hit with a Tsunami that wiped out villages and took many lives. My family personally lost five family members and our homes and communities were destroyed. Before I go any further, sadly once again I have to start my column with naming those who have left us to go home to our Heavenly father. A dear lady and wonderful soul Mrs. B.J. Race passed in the beginning of October. B.J. was always a breath of fresh air in this crazy world of wrestling and my wife and I will miss her. It was always a blessing to see Harley and B.J at conventions and share stories and catch up on our lives.
Then there is the one of a kind, often imitated but never duplicated Captain Lou Albano. Captain was my friend and manager for many years and we shared so many good times. We wrestled, traveled, appeared in movies and commercials together and shared family moments. At Captain's services his brother reminded me about the time he was running for mayor and Captain asked me to come to help promote his brother's campaign. I did, and together Captain and I made a lot of noise. My favorite memories are of the times that Captain and I worked with the charity M.S. We were proud ugly bartenders who raised funds to help fight this crippling disease. Captain had a heart of gold and was kind to everyone that he met. I know that by knowing the Captain it has made me a better person.
I have met so many people in my life and people have always come and gone, but Captain was a steady force in my life and I will miss him more than words could ever express. I am so honored to have had him in my life and will never forget him. My heart, prayers and love go out to all of the family, friends and fans of these great two people.
To my knowledge, this is the first time that the Polynesian Islands were hit with a Tsunami. I sat helpless in my home waiting to hear if my three brothers and their families were alive and safe. When I finally got word that they were, I learned of the loss of my five cousins. I was informed by the Samoan Congressman that it will take years for the Islands to recover from this. I can only do my small part here in the states by praying and organizing fund raising efforts.
With that said, for those who live in the Central Florida area, on Sunday, November 8th there will be a fund raising Luau at the Minneola Recreation Center from 2 to 7 PM. ALL proceeds will be sent to the Islands of Samoa, American Samoa and Tonga. Complete information can be found on the web site:
http://www.usosfoundation.org
I would like to personally thank the McMahon family, and WWE for the interview that did with me allowing me to get the word out about the Tsunami that hit my home land. Thank you too to the great wrestling fans who made donations through the Usos Foundation and/or the American Red Cross. Wrestling fans are the greatest in the world and the first to step up for a cause.
Thank you to my good friend Georgiann for all of your help and support to me and my family.
To share some better news, the WXW one year anniversary show Saturday, September 26th was a great success and full of surprises. To help celebrate the event, my nephew Dwayne Johnson flew in to lend his support. It was a treat to the WXW fans and the looks on the faces of the kids and ladies alike was what reminded me of why I continue to do what I do. Over the years fans of WXW have had the chance to see many of the top names in wrestling appear at our events. From The Rock to Batista, to Rocky Johnson, Superfly Jimmy Snuka, Samu, Kamala, Rikishi, Gene Snisky, Scott Hall, Luna Vachon, Scotty 2 Hotty, the late Gary "Air" Albright, BamBam Bigelow, Owen Hart, Junk Yard Dog, Sherri Martell, Ted Petty, Captain Lou Albano just to list a few. Our fans know not to miss an event because in WXW you never know who will show up! For a schedule of WXW events visit:
http://www.wxwwrestling.com
In closing, Happy Thanksgiving to you all and I want to visit my good friend Mayor David Yeager the best of luck and hope he is reelected as Mayor this month!
God Bless,
Afa "The Wild Samoan"
