In early 2018, I started writing about professional wrestling. I was still a pretty new fan, and didn’t have much direction. Two months into the field, I knew women’s wrestling needed dedicated coverage, and not knowing about Squared Circle Sirens at the time, I went searching for the best women’s wrestling coverage I could find. I wanted to learn everything I could about the field, and help empower women’s wrestling, in any way I could.

That’s the first time I found about Casey Michael and the stellar, dedicated, unmatched women’s wrestling coverage that SCS developed and fostered.

Within my first year of women’s wrestling coverage, I was recruited to run Diva Dirt as Editor-in-Chief. Not only did I feel extremely unqualified, but I was constantly anxious about doing the field a disservice. Casey reached out to me, first. Surprising in a field that is filled with cut-throat writers, editors, and wrestlers. He showed unwavering faith in me, and strengthened my voice. At a time I desperately needed a friend in the field, he became a role model.

I was always in awe of how much dedication he had to his work. When it came to health, he was dealt the worst hand imaginable, and yet, he managed to get up every day and do the one thing he loved. He was more than a source, he was more than a women’s wrestling advocate. He was one of the strongest people I had the blessing to know.

Casey helped shape me into the person I am today, professionally. I followed his lead professionally, and reached out to him when I needed advice on what to do, or where to go. When I made the decision to leave Diva Dirt, he reached out to me to remind me that his faith in me will never change. When Lauren and I decided to proceed with the building of Bell To Belles, he encouraged me to do it; he never saw us as competition, only as friends. Once again, he showed me what true friendship was. He believed in me way before anyone else did.

More than a professional mentor, he helped shaped me, personally, too. I went to Casey often with personal issues, issues with friends, issues with direction, anything and everything. I trusted him, completely. He was one of the best, and frankly the first, at being there for me in this industry. Women’s wrestling coverage is not an easy field to work in, and he always reminded me of my value. I’ll never be able to express how grateful I am to him for everything he did for me.

Women’s wrestling is reaching out in droves to express how much Casey means to them, and it shows you just how much of an impact he really had on the field. No one will ever be able to match his legacy. No one will ever be able to recreate how much he loved and cared for every women wrestler, and really, every person, in wrestling.

He only wanted to see every female wrestler succeed. His presence was never about moving up the ladder, getting that promotion, getting that next job, or being the most important person in women’s wrestling media. And yet, he was. He always will be.

My heart goes out to Casey’s family, including his SCS family. Because of Casey, I consider the SCS family my family, as well. I had the opportunity to say goodbye to him, without realizing it was goodbye, thanks to my SCS family. I’m forever grateful.

I love you, Casey Michael. We love you. And women’s wrestling will never recover from the loss. Please—leave a message below on how much Casey meant to you. Let’s keep that love and those memories close to heart.