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Last weekend, Ring of Honor, empowered by the ownership of Tony Khan and international fans flocking from across the globe to Los Angeles, celebrated one of the biggest live crowds in its history as Supercard of Honor aired live across the world. It was an incredible night as stars from all generations of ROH appeared and competed.
1,500 miles away in Dallas, Texas, a member of the original Ring of Honor generation of talents, Jonathan, who wrestled for years in the fledgling days of the promotion as Special K’s Deranged is far from the cheers of the audience and spotlights descending upon the squared circle.
In less than 24 hours after I write these words, he’s scheduled to be evicted from his home, the latest in a series of heartbreaking twists in his life that began with the passing of his father, his biggest fan and primary support beam in life, setting off a series of events that saw him lose his place to live, travel across the country in the middle of a pandemic, settle in Texas while seeking a way to support himself, figuring out the path, working towards getting back in the ring and just as it appeared he’d be getting some attention from national promotions again, shattered his leg in the ring.
Like every professional wrestler in the world, he took risks and put professional wrestling before everything else in his life, finding a passion in the over the top physical performances. There was a time where he was one of the most innovative talents anywhere in the New York City area, perfecting moves that have since assimilated into the professional wrestling ecosystem and are seen all over the country everywhere from major promotions to small independent events.
As Deranged, he was a strong core member of the Special K group alongside names that were celebrated then, like Izzy and The Insane Dragon and some who are still celebrated now, like Jay Lethal. That ROH time period was a blessing to Deranged, who put whatever limited funds he had into his training and traveling to perform, choosing to bet on himself and professional wrestling as a way to pull him out of a dysfunctional upbringing, hoping to level up personally and financially, from the streets of NYC to a pro wrestling star.
On a small scale, there is no doubt that Deranged was a piece of what made ROH unique and fun in those early days under booker Gabe Sapolsky. He was pulling off all sorts of aerial stunts and fun tag team Scramble moments while also taking the beatings of his life against the likes of Low Ki, seeking to make the stars of the company look stronger. Whether it was bruises, concussions or the soreness of being inside the ring, he absorbed it and kept persevering, hoping that with his blood, sweat and tears would eventually come a push, more money and more attention.
Special K was special enough as an act that they would be booked to take over The Murphy Rec Center in Philadelphia and close the show with a surprise rave that was something to behold at the time, to main event ROH’s first anniversary show in NYC and Deranged himself was entrusted enough to enter a Scramble Cage match (yes, that one with Teddy Hart) to headline in New Jersey before he and Izzy became Lacey’s Angels to war with the likes of Jimmy Jacobs.
One of the handpicked names to begin Ring of Honor at just 18 years old, Deranged eventually faded away from the promotion and, as life’s problems grew more prominent, the wrestling ring became less of a priority. In 2019, he began to return to train and started picking up steam after a return to the NYC indies, then Game Changer Wrestling, where he looked every bit as strong in the ring as an aerial-based talent as he always had. It appeared things were on the upswing, and he just needed the right timing and the right break.
Except, the pandemic came. Then Jonathan couldn’t stress about when he would be able to make his dreams come true. He had to figure out a way to survive. He floated from friend to friend, family not being an option. With only his car, he drove all the way to Texas seeking an answer, driving for a living and pursuing a CDL License.
As life began to finally begin to cement itself again under his feet, he thought about his pro wrestling dreams and started networking and hitting the ring in the Texas area. There were hopes of tryouts with AEW and other promotions as old friends and contacts, who had risen in prominence in pro wrestling, began to reconnect with him. The door was there waiting for him to open it, as soon as he felt ready.
Except once again, life had the worst twist possible:
Unfortunately I won’t have enough characters here, but a full description of my injury and situation can be found on the gofundme page. I won’t be able to walk or work for nearly a year. Anything helps. If you’re unable, please share the link. Thank you. https://t.co/pIPjS4fXOf
— akaDeranged (@akaDeranged) December 28, 2022
In a spot he had done lots of times before, something went wrong. No one will ever know if it was the timing or the ropes or the ring or just the law of averages catching up to someone who always tried to prove his worth in the ring, but he shattered his leg. Those doors waiting to open for him, those dreams of getting back to pro wrestling, everything he had fought so hard to overcome, they were all gone as the darkness of sadness and misery snatched him out of the air, perhaps for a final time.
Shortly after the injury, he wrote, “On 10/06/2022 I suffered the knee injury while performing at a wrestling event. After 3 x-rays and an MRI, it was determined that I had a displaced tibial plateu fracture. A puncture in my meniscus had to be repaired as well. To better explain the terminology, the inside of my knee joint was shattered and the bone fragments weren’t in proper alignment where they were supposed to be so they had to be collected and repositioned and held together with a plate and 11 screws to ensure my knee heals properly. The injury required major surgery immediately. Surgery was performed on 11/09/2022. It was believed to be successful but I was informed that it would be a long road to recovery. I have to be on crutches from November 2021 to February 2023. From there, if I’m allowed to bare any weight on that leg going forward determined on how well it is healing, it will be full year to 18 months before I’d be able to engage in athletic activity again. At least 6-9 months before I’d be walking as normal again and able to work. Upon a post-op follow up with my surgeon I was told there was potential for me to be unable to fully straighten or bend my leg permanently without long term physical therapy. So the long recovery time is necessary. I was also informed that if I have an excess of scar tissue built up hindering my ability to do so three months from now, I may need a second minor surgery to fix that problem. I’m hoping not. This has been a sudden shock to not only my body and mind but also to my economic situation. I’m now unable to work for a long period of time and covering my medical expenses as well as my living expenses has already been a challenge. My cell phone service has been cut off and car has been repossessed among the problems I already face. I don’t not have family to turn to under these circumstances. “
Remember, Jonathan was not just playing Deranged in the ring. He was also someone driving for a living to pay his bills, like anyone else in the world does, and now his dreams of wanting to be something in professional wrestling had shattered his ability to make a living.
While ROH was being sold and leveled up and fans celebrated the latest iteration of the promotion, one of the men who literally laid the foundation for it when 400 fans meant live or die until the next month, was wallowing away without a solution, his own body having turned heel on him.
Despite his pride, he launched a GoFundMe, but in a world where he’s hardly a massive superstar, even on the independent scene anymore and trapped a 26 hour drive away from his hometown - if he could even drive, that is - he saw some traction but nothing that was going to uplift and rescue him from his current situation.
As if that isn’t a cruel twist of fate, imagine this - he was set to be off crutches in February. However, something went wrong with the surgery and as of April 2023, he’s likely due for another one, one he can’t afford to have confirmed, much less pay for physical therapy. With each tick of the clock, Jonathan is one step closer to being evicted and preparing to move what he does own into a car he can’t drive without pain - a car he can’t use to make a living because a pro wrestling injury robbed him of that - and now using the same car to store his belonging means that even if by some miracle he could drive, it’s not like he could use the car to transport passengers.
I don’t know about you, but if I had given all I could to something I loved, I’d be really heartbroken and question every life choice when I realized I was the definition trapped in a prison I can’t escape from as the walls were closing in - and I’d be going mad.
How Jonathan hasn’t become Deranged from the grief and sadness and hurt, I’ll never know. He’s a stronger man than I can ever hope to be, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to be OK.
The reality is, when he learns I wrote this, he’ll likely never speak to me again, because he’s a man with great pride who has been wracked with shame and embarrassment as he’s tried to solve a way through the riddle his life and fate have handed him, something that’s only compounded all the physical anguish he’s already endured.
By the time you are done reading this, ROH will have completed their next TV taping. Tens of thousands of fans will be streaming it, but one of the unsung heroes (and there are many) who helped will that into existence is sitting in silence in his apartment, knowing the clock is ticking and there’s no babyfaces running in to make the save.
Unless, we all do.
To donate to his recovery, to uplift him and show him that all those bumps and everything he and all the other unsung heroes of professional wrestling didn’t do that damage to their bodies, their souls, their lives for nothing, click here to donate. Share the link. Whatever the reason someone wants to donate, who the hell cares - it’s the well being of someone they all once shared a locker room with, called their brother and shared their physical well being with to make all of you who ever watched pro wrestling happy.
In that quest to make fans happy and himself a star, Jonathan found himself left behind as others soldiered on. Life isn’t fair and nothing is promised to anyone, but no one deserves a fate worse than death - and while I think I’m a pretty damn good wordsmith, I can’t think of another way to describe the life Jonathan’s living.
I hope to hell he forgives me for writing about this, but whether he does or doesn’t, I sure as hell hope that everyone out there can do something more to support Jonathan than I can writing this article, because he - and all pro wrestlers who have been forgotten and fallen to the tragedies they can’t control in life - deserve that dignity and support.
ROH was forged on the idea of The Code of Honor. I hope pro wrestling as a whole can be inspired by that and doesn’t leave one of their own behind, forgotten and suffering in silence as life continues to pummel him. I have no idea whether the world will ever see Deranged in the ring again, but that's not important. The hope that Jonathan can be pulled out of this and go find a way to navigate back into living a happy life, however, shouldn't be dismissed, because in your worst moment, you're going to be looking for a little hope yourself.
Let's give him some.
To assist “Deranged”, click the link below, donate and/or share:
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