On This Day in Wrestling History we’ve paid tribute to many stars and icons we’ve lost over the years, and Sean O’Haire was one that shined briefly but gave us some great memories.
At 43 years old, O’Haire was found a day after his suicide (on September 8, 2015) by his father in his home. He was reportedly suffering from depression and alcohol addiction.
He’d also reportedly been through WWE’s rehab facilities a few times.
He was exceptionally gifted athletically as he could pull off some amazing moves for a big man, but there was something extra about him that made me a huge fan of his and Chuck Palumbo in WCW.
There were the cool young team that was ready to take on the world, but that soon fizzled after the Monday Night Wars when he joined the WWE.
For one reason or another, the WWE didn’t seem to know how to use him and he was teamed with Roddy Piper for a time to be mentored, but when Piper was released he was adrift while they searched for his next gimmick.
One of a kind
There was something special about O’Haire that made us want to watch him, and Chuck Palumbo gave an interview shortly after his passing where he talked about their meeting and the type of person O’Haire was.
Special thanks to @awrestlinghistorian for the transcript.
“It must have been ’99 and we had just moved to the Power Plant. Jody Hamilton, the Original Assassin, he ran the original…and that’s where I had started. Well, a year later or so they moved it a few miles away. Brand new facility right behind the WCW office. I had probably been at that facility for a month or two and then Sean came in, super nice guy, naturally a big kid, athletic, and we just hit it off.
“It was the thriller bunch there, it was Sean, Mark Jindrak, Mike Sanders, Reno, and then you had Kiwi, Alan Funk, Elix Skipper, that’s their solid core group of guys that I kind of broke in with. So, we were all tight, we were all training together and teaching each other. Jerry too, one of my best friends, The Wall from WCW who had passed away too. So yeah, we had just started hanging out, training together every day with Sarge and Paul Orndorff and before you know it @jimmyhartmouthofthesouthwwehof takes us and brings us in on the Saturday night television show and we are doing some single stuff. Sean was a few months behind us and finally he comes in and what happened next? I think Vince Russo came in and he put us in the tag team together.
“Great guy, passed away way too young, super athletic, a big guy. He could move! I don’t know if you remember, he used to do that senton bomb…I mean this guy is 6′ 4″, 260 doing a senton. Yeah, he was green and stuff, but he never really got to show I believe what he could really do. I thought overtime that guy was going to be something, he had it man, it just never happened and you know the rest, it’s funny… it may be based on opinion of one or two people where your career goes. I thought that the potential was there.” – Chuck Palumbo, The RCWR Show interview, September 19, 2014.
O’Haire impacted a lot of people for various reasons, including Karrion Kross who stated O’Haire was one of his biggest inspirations.
This Day in Wrestling History wasn’t an easy one to write, but if anything can come from it it’s the ability to share his story and let others know they’re not alone.
Whether it’s ourselves or someone we know contemplating suicide, there’s help at the National Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273-8255.
From SuicidePreventionLifeline.org: We can all help prevent suicide. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals.
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