Grim Reaper and Florida

Sunday, January 22 is another day that will stand out in my life as a learning tool from that big referee in the sky. I have been given one more chance at living by kicking out at the two-count and keeping the match in progress.

I owe a huge debt of gratitude to the paramedic team at our fire station here in Northwest Ohio. They are consummate professionals that strive to make your visit as painless as possible. They also make you feel like you’re someone without raising that anxiety level any higher that it already is.

I had gone to the fire station after experiencing heavy pressure in the sternum and not being able to belch it out. I also had been nauseous and was short of breath. I was also cold and clammy with a sweaty feel to my skin.

Following a quick exam, a strip was sent to St. Luke’s Hospital, and I was transported by life squad for the short two-mile run. My blood pressure was over 200, and I had a blood sugar count over 300 as well. I had not followed my diet that morning and added a small orange juice to my breakfast meal.

I went through a hectic examination by a complete staff of doctors and nurses before being told that I was being admitted to a room for further tests. I was told that this was a big wake up call for me and that I needed to take better care of myself in the future.

Monday morning, a cardiologist saw me, and he suggested that I have a cath done to see how much damage was in my heart. I told him that I was to be in Florida three days later, and he said that, if everything was ok with the exam, that I could be discharged as early as Tuesday afternoon.

The heart cath revealed that three of the back arteries that had been replaced in 2002 were, in fact, blocked. I was told that, by returning to the proper medications, that the problem would take care of itself. I was released at about 4 that afternoon to return home to mend.

I will be making some visits more often to see my doctors. They have changed the way I think about life. I am a truly blessed man to have beaten the odds four times now and lived to write about it.

Following a two-day sit-at-home recovery, I loaded up on a Florida jet and was in Sanford - Orlando around 10 a.m. Thursday morning. Arriving in Silver Springs around noon, I met with my Uncle Basil and Aunt Velma at their compound. He is the last remaining member of my direct family on my dad's side.

I began to work on his computer, trying to get it to do what it needed to. The older system would not respond after 11 hours of work, and it was decided to go and get a new one on Saturday. Computers are fun, but they can really get you down emotionally and cause you unbearable stress when they don't respond to your prompts.

Friday morning, Basil and I went to the roads again and ventured towards Daytona Beach, where we would pick up Coast Highway 1 to go south to Edgewater, Florida, just below New Smyrna Beach. At 1 p.m., we pulled into the estate of retired wrestler and good friend Sputnik Monroe, who just turned 77 in December 2005.

A few minutes later, we were joined by Danny Miller, who had come over from Tampa to be with us that day. Sputnik had not seen Danny for over 20 years, and I had expected an explosion to happen between these two great legends, as they had a number of feuds between them over the years.

As Danny walked towards Sputnik, I could tell by the smile on his face that this was going to be a super day for them both. They shook hands and hugged and tears began to flow as these two great warriors stood eye to eye.

The grudges were long forgotten. The memories of the hectic battles in and out of the ring were no longer there. It was good to see a mending between them. Both had paid more than their fair share of pain, agony and misery in their careers in the squared circle. Today would be Monroe / Miller day in Florida.

The four of us got into my car and went to a local buffet, where they had a bounty of shrimp, fish and the fixings for us to devour. Sputnik made the mistake of asking my uncle Basil to read the menu for him, as the print was very tiny. Basil began to read in German and Sputnik just glared at him before finally shouting, "What the heck are you saying?"

Basil and Danny Miller both were laughing so hard that they were both red-faced when it was over. We stuffed ourselves with the buffet before returning to Sputnik's home. Following nearly an hour of telling old road stories, it was evident that we needed to try and end the day before it became too late to travel.

We said our goodbyes and shed a few more tears and ended with smiles on our faces before exiting the estate. I was the lead car going back west on 44 toward Interstate 4, where Danny would go west and we would join up with 17 and 92 highway north to return to Silver Springs.

As I look back on the visit, I am reminded that we all learned a good lesson of humility that day. We put grudges and bad feelings that we might have felt at one time in the back of our memories to forget. We paid the price of friendship to be together and break bread as men that led our industry in what we did best. I hope that feeling never ends.

To Sputnik, I hope to have many more visits to your estate during the time I am in Florida with my uncle Basil. To Danny Miller, I want to thank you for your kindness in sharing some of the past to me. To uncle Basil, I don't know what life would be for me if you weren't there to help me get away from the stress of everyday living.

May God continue to bless and keep each and everyone of you for the world to enjoy.

Percival A. Friend, Retired
The Epitome of Wrestling Managers
2004 CAC Honoree