Daphanie LaShaunn has launched a GoFundMe campaign following an unimaginable personal tragedy. The WWE referee, whose real name is Aja Smith, revealed on Thursday that she lost four family members—her grandmother, grandfather, uncle, and cousin—in a house fire that occurred Wednesday night.
Sharing the heartbreaking news with her followers on Instagram, LaShaunn described the profound grief she and her family are experiencing. She explained that she remained at the scene of the fire until the very end and spoke candidly about the emotional toll the loss has taken on her.
“My heart aches. Last night I lost my grandma, grandpa, uncle, and cousin in a house fire,” LaShaunn wrote. “We were at the scene til the very end.. My soul is hollow right now. Please pray for my family as we navigate this unbelievable nightmare.”
In addition to the devastating loss of life, the fire has displaced surviving members of her family. LaShaunn explained that the GoFundMe campaign was created not only to help cover funeral expenses for the four victims, but also to support her cousin’s family, which includes five children who have lost their home and all of their belongings.
“Planning 4 funerals and rebuilding is gonna be tough,” she stated. “My cousin, A family of 7 with 5 kids, are now displaced with nothing to their name. Anything helps even a repost. I’ve posted the gofundme link in my bio and I’ll also add it to my story. Thank you all so much.”
LaShaunn signed with WWE in 2020 and has since become a regular presence on WWE SmackDown and WWE NXT. She made history at WrestleMania 38 in 2022, becoming the first African American female referee to officiate a match at the event. Prior to joining WWE, she competed on the independent circuit under the ring name Aja Perera and is married to Leon Ruff.
The wrestling community has already begun rallying around LaShaunn during this incredibly difficult time. According to the public donor list on the campaign page, several WWE stars have made significant contributions, including Liv Morgan and Bayley, who have each donated $5,000. Additional support has come from talents such as Natalya, Shotzi, and Chelsea Green.
As messages of support continue to pour in, LaShaunn and her family are being met with compassion and solidarity from across the wrestling world as they begin the long process of grieving and rebuilding.
