I first became aware of Danny in my teenage years when I first started watching CZW. I remember watching his match against Brain Damage and being blown away by his toughness and willingness to endure pain. He quickly became one of my very favourite wrestlers, a position he still holds to this day. I never had the chance to meet Danny, or even watch him wrestle live, but whenever I saw his name on a CZW show, I knew I couldn't miss it. There was something special about Danny, you could tell he was a great guy and someone you would love to have a beer with, someone that everyone would want to be friends with. Its hard to explain how much of an impact Danny has had on my life, I am incredibly proud to have a piece of the canvas from TOD XI signed by Danny, it is one of my most treasured items and something that will stay with me for life. My heart broke when I woke up to the news that Danny had passed away and I was in total shock. I had always said that when I had a son, I would have his middle name be Tiberius in honour of Danny and that is still something I hope to be able to do some day. Whether he was a skinny teenager trying to make a name for himself, the Deathmatch Drunkard, the leader of the Nation of Intoxication or the Deathmatch Viking, Danny always put everything on the line for the fans and stole more shows, and hearts, than I can count. Thankyou for everything you have done for us Danny, thankyou for your years of sacrifice and thankyou for being a great human being. I will miss you every day, rest easy. - Andrew P.
Before I share my experience with Danny Havoc I wanted to share part of my story leading to independent wrestling. There was a time several years ago that I was in a dark place wanting to give up everything including life. I had no desire to do anything or even live. I was losing interest in my two passions of art and wrestling. Drinking nearly every night, barely living pay check to pay check, passing out on the washroom floor at work, throwing up on the church lawn. I was a wreck and just had no desire or anything left in me. Then on September 11th 2009 things changed. Things changed for the better as I attended my first C4 wrestling show in Ottawa Ontario Canada. I would watch wrestling at the time here and there for a select few talents but my heart wasn't in it anymore until C4. Petey Williams was one I would tune into watch so when he was announced for C4 I knew and felt I had to be there. I honestly thought it was going to be my one and only show. Went in a Petey fan but left a fan of so many of the guys and that night I found my love and passion for wrestling again.
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As time went on, I heard about, discovered and learned about different promotions and talents. I heard about the "death match" style and matches and really didn't interest me or appeal to me. I was just like "ok cool. I guess." I thought if that was their thing that is fine. Whatever floats your boat if you will. Also hearing things like they're not trained or properly trained, they're bums among other things. All this non sense that a guy like me would believe. Then one day the promoter of ISW wanted us to make the trip to Connecticut for a show. I replied with who will be there because part of me felt it was quite the trek to see the talents we see locally so often. He asked if I ever seen Danny Havoc or heard of him and I said no. He sent Danny's promo video for the show before it was posted. I learned that Danny was one of those "death match" wrestlers so I watched a few things. Got a little more into it though still not a huge fan I accepted it. Danny, Matt Tremont, Masada were the first three that made me accept this style and appreciate it a little more. That promo, I wanted to meet Danny even before seeing any of his matches.
I met him and presented him with this figure I made for him to thank him and all the negative things I heard about this style was wrong. These guys can wrestle. They are trained. They have talent. They just prefer this style. On the night I first met Danny he made me laugh. He made me smile. He made an impact on me and I was a fan and felt I had a buddy. He was cool, funny, genuine. He was real. The second time I met him was in Ottawa where his ribs were broken. I still laugh to this day because he wanted me to feel is ribs and I declined until he said "you know you want to" and leaned over the table, grabbed my hand and made me feel his broken ribs. I told him I respect his work, his style, him and appreciate everything but told him I worry about him and he appreciated that.
My heart is broken and I'm in pain and have been crying a lot. It will be this way for quite some time as this one hurts so much. Though, I feel I can think back to these moments and go to watch videos and stuff and smile, laugh and feel a little better. I can say that after my first C4 show and meeting so many amazing people, Danny one of them that they have all saved me and help keep me going and inspire me and motivate me and give me hope and purpose. I only met Danny twice and always wanted to make trips to go see him again but life kept getting in the way and it hurts but blessed and fortunate to have had those couple times and moments I had. Danny, you're one of my heroes. Thank you.
To all his family, friends and peers my heart is with you. My thoughts and prayers are with you all. Danny, you were a bright light in this dark world and you will remain that bright light in our hearts. You're no longer here but with us forever in our hearts. Love you, you will be missed. -Matty
I wanted to start this by saying that I couldn't think of a better way to talk about how much I miss Grant than drunk and crying, but really everything I want to say I would have told him to his face anyway, probably while drunk. The crying is new, and I'm sure he would have told me to not waste the tears, but buddy, I love you, so here they are.
In wrestling, "brother" is thrown around a lot, but I will say without any shame or joming that I loved Grant Berkland like a brother. I can't tell you the first time I met Grant. I can only assume it was a handshake/hello situation when I moved to CZW from PWU in late 2007. I know that once I started going to Nickel's after shows, I can't think of a time we weren't friends. Late nights or Nickel's or The Tower are some of my favorite memories of Grant. Listening to punk songs on the jukebox, doing shots of Blackhaus with Dahmer, talking about anything other than wrestling. These are my favorite memories of Grant.
He had an amazing smile. A great laugh. He was a fucking weirdo just like me. He was the first person I had ever knew who had heard of the comic Arsenic Lullaby. The last time we hung out after a Sideshow Pro show I gave him the new collection of AL stuff and a button and he put the button on right away. He was going through a divorce and I was dealing with a bad breakup, and we went out and drank all night that night.
He came to Virginia for my Christmas party. Devon Moore brought a dvd of the shows from their recent Japanese tour and I was so proud and happy that my friends got to go to Japan.
Two of my favorite memories of Grant. When we were doing the Hollywood Necro gimmick, he forearmed me so hard I saw stars, and I loved it. Once at The Tower I said "Hey where's that wife of yours?" and he slapped me, then we laughed and hugged. Those are the first two things I think of.
I could do bullet points about things I loved about Grant and write for hours. I'll finish by saying I loved him and I'll miss him. He was an amazing person and a better friend. I know in my heart that if there's a Valhalla, you're there and laughing, waiting on us. Save a drink for me, buddy. I love you. - Erik C. Jones
One of the first things Grant told me about himself was that he was an ‘in for a penny, in for a pound’ type of guy. Over the past eight years I found this to be true time and time again. No matter what he did, he gave it everything he had. He fought hard, he partied hard, he loved hard and he
lived hard. And I loved that about him. He never failed to make me laugh, sharing stories of his time in Japan with Drake and Sami, the time
Masada stitched him up in his living room after a match, his days studying for his Associates Degree, his appreciation of proper syntax, punctuation and grammar and his infamous exploits with the Nation of Intoxication. The man could spin a yarn, I can tell you that much. He was intrigued by my
research into pro wrestling. He thought it was total bullshit and a complete waste of time to write about it academically, yet he still afforded me much of his time to answer questions and provide insights. He was a good man. A good friend. A true one of a kind. Danny Havoc will forever be my favourite wrestler. He thought that was bullshit as well, but it’s true. I sit here writing this in the deathmatch t-shirt he sent me years ago from Random Things and
listening to Shanties; Songs of the Sea by Kimber’s Men, a favourite of Grant’s (no surprise he loved a shanty, he did have the soul of a Viking) and I can’t believe I won’t hear from him again. I am so thankful to have had him in my life and I will miss him… always. (He loved an ellipsis.)