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| He was Larry Sweeney, ICW-ICWA Texarkana Television Champion to us, but to his friends, he was so much more |
I can pay tribute to Larry Sweeney all I want, but at the end of the day, I'm just a fan who is bummed that a guy I used to watch in wrestling shows died. I can't even begin to think of how Sweeney's family, friends, co-workers and anyone he's touched personally feel right now. One of Sweeney's close and personal friends, Bryce Remsburg, posted the following note on his Facebook page. It's a little heart-wrenching, but maybe this will shed some light on how much Sweeney touched those he knew in his tumultuous life:
Alex Whybrow was the walking, living definition of charisma. He had an unteachable, remarkable gift, and it was evident the day he walked into the CHIKARA Wrestle Factory in Allentown, PA in 2003. His promo ability immediately turned the heads of everyone in the room. Alex had that effect on people, he turned heads and had an unforgettable demeanor. Fans and wrestlers alike rarely forgot that face, that smile, and that cackle.
Alex destroyed many cliches of what a "pro wrestler" should be. He had an English degree from Oberlin College, he moonlit as a SAT prep teacher at Kaplan, read the New Yorker on road trips, and frequently tried to engage fellow road trippers into religious and spiritual discussions. For all those wrestler anomalies, there was nothing Alex loved more than a road trip and his friends, or as he called us, his "brothers". He was happiest with awful gas station coffee in one hand, and the wheel of his trusty 200,000 mile plus Toyota Corolla in the other, with a passenger willing to talk about whatever. (With him and I, it was usually late 1980s WWF.) Music, politics, you name it, Alex was incredibly intelligent and could hold a conversation with anyone about anything. The "Sweet 'n Sour" persona he was known for was only a slight extension of who Alex truly was. He loved new places and meeting new people, and we shared an affinity for thrift store T-shirts. One particularly ambitious (code for moneylosing) month found Hero, Claudio, Alex and I in Iowa, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, and Chicago, where we'd stay at Alex's parents beautiful home. On a trip to Florida, we nearly wore out the ELO CD after listening to it on repeat, and Alex vowing he would come to the ring to the sounds of "Don't Bring Me Down" someday.
The last years of Alex's life were tumultous, but none of that erases memories, or discounts how much he entertained not only us, but thousands and thousands of indy wrestling fans on a regular basis. Last October, he was in for a CHIKARA weekend, and I had goosebumps as he went wild, along with the crowd in Easton. After the show, Jigsaw, Eddie Kingston, Alex, and I drove to Brooklyn, and told stories and laughed until we cried. He went on that night to tear the house down (I'm talking standing ovation) with his karaoke rendition of "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer" by George Thorogood. He came back to my house, and left a bag of T-shirts with me, because he "knew he'd be back soon". Tragically, that wasn't to be. I left him at Philly airport, and he gave me a classic Sweeney bearhug and told me he loved me. The Alex from this weekend is the one I will remember forever, and I am so thankful we were able to have that final quality time together.
This time the tears aren't of merriment, these tears are of sadness. It hasn't fully sunk in that I will never hug my friend Alex again, or never hear his laugh, and watch him strut. Maybe it never will. I smile at memories of him, the numerous good times, and at the fact that he has finally found peace. Alex adored legends in wrestling, and now, as far as I'm concerned, he is one. I miss you and I love you brother, and there ain't no doubt about it.
Reposted with permission
Photo Credit: Scott Finkelstein - Please visit his site to view the plentiful amounts of pictures he's taken for DGUSA, ROH and other indie feds: Get Lost Photography
Remember you can contact TH and ask him questions about wrestling, life or anything else. Please refer to this post for contact information. He always takes questions!
