raynebowranger | Keep Shannon Moore In Your Prayers

by Phil Speer
Oct. 19, 2003

BALTIMORE – Oct. 19, 2003 – Shannon Moore’s father, Gilbert, passed away on Oct. 10, about 12 years later than doctors said he would.

Gilbert Moore was on his way to work in North Carolina 12 years ago when a dump truck didn’t yield in a median and collided with Gilbert’s car. He was thrown out of the car, suffering head injuries so severe that doctors said he only had a day or two to live.

When he survived for 48 hours, doctors opted to perform brain surgery to remove clots that had developed; they told Moore’s family that Gilbert probably wouldn’t survive the surgery.

But he did. He spent two years in a coma before he regained consciousness. His brain was badly damaged and he was unable to walk or eat on his own, but Shannon, just 12 at the time of the accident, says, “We were just happy he was still alive and hoping for the best.”

Shannon said he was able to have a relationship with his dad, who could communicate by blinking, squeezing Shannon’s hand or, on good days, saying a few words or laughing.

“He was there. He knew everything that was going on,” Shannon said.

When Shannon started wrestling, he’d often bring tapes home and watch them with his dad. Since he arrived in WWE, he often had the opportunity to watch SmackDown! (taped on Tuesdays, airs on Thursday) with his dad.

“The way his face would light up, it was the best thing ever,” Shannon said. “You could tell he was proud.

“I built a relationship with my dad just by making the best of it. We weren’t able to go fishing or anything like that. But he was still my SmackDown! buddy.”

Shannon said that, before the accident, his dad worked two jobs and also built houses part time. He’d work all day and all night, and then get up at 5 a.m. to get his kids ready for school.

“He’s definitely one of the reasons I’m here, as far as pushing myself,” Shannon said. “I just felt like, if my dad did it, I can do it too.”

About a month ago, Gilbert’s feeding tube began to clog. When that happens, doctors need to surgically remove it, and put in another one. It’s a complicated surgery, Shannon said. Unfortunately, Gilbert’s tube continued to clog, and he needed multiple surgeries.

“After so many surgeries over 12 years, his body was just breaking down,” Shannon said. “Finally, doctors said, ‘There’s nothing we can do.’”

Shannon didn’t want to take time off work. Each time his father was in the hospital for a surgery over the last few weeks, Shannon would ask him if he should go to work. Each time, his dad would blink or squeeze his hand, an indication that Gilbert wanted him to go. Even when doctors said he just had a day or two more to live, he’d squeeze his son’s hand, encouraging him to go back on the road.

But two weeks ago, when Shannon asked, his father didn’t respond.

Shannon wrestled on Oct. 6 and Oct. 7 but did not go on the Passport to Pain tour, as he was originally scheduled to do. He said he spoke with Stephanie McMahon and agent John Lauranaitis, who were both very supportive and encouraged him to return to North Carolina to spend time with his family.

So instead of flying to Europe, Shannon caught the first flight back to North Carolina on Wednesday, Oct. 8. By then, Shannon’s mom had brought Gilbert home from the hospital; they wanted him to live his last few days in his own bed. On Friday morning, Oct. 10, at 6:10, Gilbert passed away at the age of 56.

“All of us were there with him,” Shannon said.

The wake was the next day, and the funeral was last Sunday. Shannon returned to work on Tuesday in Cincinnati. Tonight, he wrestled Billy Kidman live on HEAT before No Mercy.

“It’s been hard (coming back to work) but if my dad was here, he’d want me doing it,” Shannon said. “Because he knows it’s my job and he always believed you’ve got to work.”

May our hearts and prayers go out to Shannon Moore at this hard time!