Siliana Gaspard, widow to former WWE Superstar Shad Gaspard, recently took to Instagram to release an emotional statement on her husband’s untimely passing. The post contained a picture of the late Shad Gaspard and in the caption, Siliana thanked Shad’s friends, associates, fans and the emergency personnel for their support and honored her late husband.
“Aryeh, myself and the Gaspard and Chittick families would like to take this time to thank everyone for their prayers and support, as we mourn the terrible loss of our beloved Shad,” said Siliana. “Shad was our whole world and we were his. There are not enough words to describe what he means to all of us.”
“He was our heart, our soul, our protector, our warrior. He was a bright force of nature, who brought joy to many through his joyous and gracious nature. The outpouring of love from Shad’s friends, colleagues and fans has meant more to us than you can even imagine. We’d like to once again thank the lifeguards, coast guard, divers, fire and police departments for their efforts. Shad was and will always be our real life super hero. I love you more, my love ❤️,” wrote Siliana.
On May 17, Shad and his 10-year-old son Aryeh Gaspard were swimming at California’s newly reopened Marina Del Rey beach when they were caught in a rip current and swept out to sea. When the lifeguards came for them, Shad made the ultimate sacrifice for his son, instructing the lifeguards to first rescue Aryeh.
Once Aryeh was safely ashore, the lifeguards attempted to rescue Shad, but he was pulled under the waves before they reached him. The U.S. Coast Guard was unable to locate Shad after an extensive two-day search. Three days later, on May 20, Shad’s body was discovered on Venice Beach, California.
Shad Gaspard made a name for himself in 2006 as one half of the WWE’s popular tag team ‘Cryme Tyme,’ alongside his partner, former WWE Superstar JTG. Shad left the WWE in 2010 and pursued an acting career, appearing in films like Get Hard and Think Like A Man Too. In 2016, Shad lived up to his “superhero” nickname and broke up an armed robbery, disarming the suspect and holding him down until the police arrived.
Shad Gaspard passed at the age of 39 and is survived by his wife Siliana and their son Aryeh. Many current and former WWE Superstars have since paid tribute to Shad, such as his fellow ‘Cryme Tyme’ partner JTG, Triple H, John Cena, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Dave Bautista, who cried as he honored Shad, saying: “You should be inspired by his journey and inspired by his final sacrifice.”
