Remembering...

This week’s column remembers two good friends that have made the trip to Heaven this past week.

Tanner Chamberlain, a young man (just 15) who was looked after by the Orton Family during the week, was gunned down by Las Vegas Police and died at the scene. I had known Tanner from my visits to the Orton compound to visit with Bob Sr., Rhonda and Rita. He stayed there during the week and was one of the family to them.

He was skilled in Martial Arts and loved the theater. He was also a huge wrestling fan that had quite a following for Randy Orton, the current WWE Champion. His school work was meticulous and sometimes in advancement of other students in his classes.

I will always remember the big smile on his face and the powerful handshake and hugs we shared when seeing each other. R.I.P., Tanner.

Here is a link to a story with pictures of Tanner and his mom that was in the Las Vegas Revue Journal last Friday, the day of his funeral. http://www.lvrj.com/news/breaking_news/Friends-family-remember-boy-15-shot-by-police-63895087.html

The other great friend I lost on Friday was Beverly (BJ) Race, wife of Harley Race, eight-time NWA World Champion. I have know BJ for nearly a decade and can honestly say that she was one of the hardest workers we had at any of the events she was at. At Harley's WLW school in Eldon, Missouri, she was known as "MOM" and rightfully so as she took care of many of the business duties that needed to be done on a daily basis. She answered phones, kept the books and made sure that the students’ needs were taken care of. She also cared for Harley's every need.

When she came to events like Waterloo or Newton, Iowa, she made sure that the tables were set up right for autographs and pictures. She collected money and made sure that the books balanced at the end of the day. She cared for the distribution of funds to each artist and wrestler that was within reach of her and always had the best smile in the room on her face. She worked so hard all the time.

At the CAC in Las Vegas, she would coordinate all of Harley’s duties and make sure that he was in the right spot at the right time. She was a tireless volunteer for the club, selling raffle tickets from the time she arrived until way late in the evening when the event was in its closing hours. Dr. Eric wrote a comment in the CAC home page about him asking her for the winning ticket for the CAC belt that was to be drawn for a couple of years ago. She smiled at him and said, "Here it is ... the WINNING ticket," and, lo and behold, it was the winning ticket.

This past April, BJ was asked to come on stage and was presented with a beautiful plaque, and it had the words on it "Above and Beyond." BJ was that and more all the time.

To Harley and BJ's family, I send my deepest of sympathies and hope that God will give them the strength to overcome this great loss. Heaven's gain is truly our loss.

R.I.P., BJ Race, as your work on Earth is done. Please wait for us in God's home and open the doors for us when it is our time.

Percival A. Friend, Retired
The Epitome of Wrestling Managers