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Darryl Gower, who performed as Steve “The Brawler” Lawler for decades out of the Georgia area, is currently in a medically induced coma after being diagnosed with COVID-19 and pneumonia, according to Dave Willis, who worked with Lawler for many years on the independent scene.
Gower, 56, is a journeyman who worked just about every major Georgia promotion you could think of, including Jody Hamilton’s Deep South Wrestling (where he held the Brass Knuckles Championship), Jerry Blackwell’s SCW, Joe Pedicino’s Georgia All-Star Wrestling and many others.
Gower broke into the business in the late 1980s and was active through 2013 when he initially retired. As a wrestler, he feuded locally with the late Nick Busick, Outlaw Joel Deaton and Tommy Rich, among others. He teamed with Dino Minelli as Thunder & Lightning, holding the SCW Tag Team titles twice for the Blackwell promotion. Gower also teamed with Jon Michaels and The Nightmare as Bad Company.
For a time in Florida, he also worked under the Adrian Steele ring name.
Gower was a regular for Dusty Rhodes’ Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling when it ran regularly in 2000 and 2001, initially as "Desperado" Liberty McCall but then reverted back to the Lawler ring name. He was regularly used as a main event heel foil for Dusty, Larry Zbyszko and others, sometimes teaming with names like Barry Windham and Scott Hall.
As a trainer, Gower was involved in breaking in a number of stars including Buff Bagwell, Disco Inferno, Ray “Glacier” Lloyd and Murder One, among others.
In recent years, Gower has been living in Panama City, Florida, where he was working as a business manager for a local Kia dealership. He had recently come out of retirement, wrestling for Freedom Force Wrestling.
A Go Fund Me campaign has been launched to assist Gower and his family at this link. The campaign, launched by Gower's wife Dionne Ellison-Gower notes:
"As many of you now know- “Steve Lawler” - Darryl Gower- is extremely ill with Covid 19 and pneumonia. He has now been in the hospital for 10 days and is on a ventilator. Many of you know him as “THE BRAWLER”- the wrestler, the fighter!! I know him as Darryl- my husband of 10 years, daddy to our children- Landon-age 10 & Charlie-age 6. I know him as the papa to 3 grandchildren and father to 4 older daughters. He is an AMAZINGLY STRONG, loving, supportive, workaholic- that is in desperate need of all of the prayers, thoughts love & support we can get. As we pray every minute for him to recover- the reality is that this will be a VERY long road. The drs have said “if”- he pulls through this- it will be weeks/months of rehabilitation. That being said- I am now in a position to where I have to prepare for all of the medical care, expenses, along with continuing to care for myself and our 2 younger children who defiantly need me with them right now. So we are asking for any of you who can help with donations- please do so. I know he would be so happy to know just how many of you love & support him. Please continue to lift him up in prayer as we battle this awful disease. I also ask that you pray for our children, grandchildren and family. I am just trying to keep a brave face for Landon and Charlie and beg god to allow this amazing man to come home. Again- whatever support you can give during this time will be extremely helpful in his current and future care along with the care for these babies. We [love] You all."
PWInsider.com sends the Gower family all our best wishes for a quick recovery.
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