JTG Looks Back On His Friendship With Shad Gaspard, Not Being Able To Grieve Properly

As PWMania.com previously reported, former WWE star JTG was recently interviewed on Chasing Glory with Lilian Garcia and spoke about Shad Gaspard. Here are the highlights:

Being introduced to Shad Gaspard through Elijah Burke: Yes, I met him at my first amateur show. I was introduced to him through Elijah Burke, The Pope. Yeah, he introduced me to Shad. From there, It was like a little bother, big brother relationship: (Shad) ‘So where you from?’ (JTG) ‘Brooklyn.’ (Shad) ‘Oh what part?’ I’m like, ‘Flatbush.’ (Shad) ‘Oh!’ It was just the universe – the stars were just aligning.

We were in the same area, same background – single mother background. We were both raised by our older sisters and we just had a lot in common so when they did put us as a tag team, it just clicked. Everything just made sense. And we were friends before we were a tag team.

Being in a rough mental spot before meeting Shad: I almost wanted to quit. I was there for awhile and I was just down, I was like depressed. Cause being in Louisville, KY, no family. And I think it was Paul Heyman’s decision, Al Snow and Danny Davis put us together. And when I found out I was like, ‘Alright, we already have a good relationship. This could [lead] to something.

The best reaction Cryme Tyme received: The best was working Chris Jericho and Big Show. There was a show in New England and we were the semi-main event and the crowd was stomping their feet, ‘Cryme Tyme! Cryme Tyme!’ I remember like it was yesterday, Chris Jericho looked at me like, ‘Wow, you got that Road Warrior pop!’

We were in the back locker room, it wasn’t even our time to perform yet, but we were doing so good on television, the segment with us, with The Big Show and Jericho for the tag team titles. It was our time. They thought we were going to get the titles and the crowd was so loud. Like, ‘Wow, we’re over, man. This feels great.’

Fans sharing videos and memories of Shad with him online: It’s definitely helping me through this time. Like I was saying before, 80% of my phone is with videos of Shad & me. We were more than tag team partners, you know. We were friends, and eventually we were just brothers. Like his son is my nephew. His wife, I consider her my sister-in-law. We were just tight.

Not being able to grieve properly: Yeah, I’ve been on this planet for 35 years. I’ve never lost somebody this close with me where you engage with them every day. Where you share the most intimate stories with them, and I’ve lost family, I’ve lost distant uncles and grandparents, but they’re older and it’s like, I don’t want them to be here and suffer so you know, when they transition you’re like, ‘Okay, they’re at peace.’ I’ve lost co-workers, you’ve lost a lot of co-workers, but it never really hit home like this.