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Luna Vachon Passes Away at age 48..Personal Thoughts of a Unique Lady.
Fri, 08/27/2010 - 4:21pm — J.R.
Posted in:
It is said that death comes in three's. Apparently that's morbidly correct. Upon hearing of Luna Vachon's passing this morning came another reminder that no one is guaranteed tomorrow.
The exact cause of Luna's passing has not been determined but 48 is much too young for anyone to be taken from this world and our sincere condolences go out to Luna's family and the many friends that she had in and out of the wrestling business.
When Luna reported to me in WWE's talent relations department many, many years ago she was a hard working, passionate, almost obsessive performer who definitely had the wrestling business in her blood.
Her family, the Vachon's, will always be known as one of the best known 'wrestling families' ever in the business. Her father, Paul (Butcher), and her famous uncle, Maurice (Mad Dog) Vachon were stars for decades.
Luna told me that being a wrestler was the only thing that she wanted to do since she was a small child. She said she couldn't remember the time when she didn't want to wrestle for a living.
Inside the ring was where Luna seemingly felt the most comfortable with herself both professionally and personally. She was an excellent in ring performer who helped many of her fellow females become better wrestlers.
At times, Luna was very hard on herself when she felt that she didn't have the match that she wanted to have and was more often than not her own worst critic. I found out that praising her and doing what I could do to help her self esteem motivated her to no ends.
While Luna Vachon wasn't perfect, none of us are for the record, she was more often than not fun to be around.
Like many other human beings, Luna was susceptible to personal challenges and WWE assisted on these matters on multiple occasions.
The last time that I saw Luna was in Las Vegas a couple of years or so ago at the Cauliflower Alley Club reunion when Bret Hart was honored and I attended along with Steve Austin. Luna was so happy to see us both. We had our photo taken together and had a great visit. She was driving a tow truck in Florida and Steve and I both enjoyed Luna's 'tow truck stories.'
One could tell that she missed the wrestling business but was pleased that she was an independent woman, had a job and was apparently garnering much needed stability in her life.
We talked about her being diagnosed with being bi-polar and her having issues with depression of which she battled on an on going basis for a good while. Luna was a battler and was a tough individual who said she was going to keep fighting the good fight but that it wasn't easy. Steve and I both gave Luna many words of encouragement and spent significant time with her at the CAC function talking old times and mostly laughing about our mutual experiences. Without question, laughter is good medicine for all of us.
I know Luna loved her family, especially her children, and had a twinkle in her eye when talking about them. It was as if she wanted to make up for lost time with her family, especially her sons. Being off the road and working a 'regular job' was going to give her the opportunity to do so.
Luna and I couldn't believe that it had been well over a decade since we had talked as she left WWE, I believe, in 2000 or so. When one is younger we ask, "Where did the day go?" and when we get older we catch ourself asking, "What happened to that decade?"
Luna Vachon had a unique and often times challenging life but even with the issues that she battled she had many friends who, as will I, always look back upon the good days that we shared.
Perhaps now Luna can finally find peace and tranquility in Heaven where her existence will finally be problem free.
Rest in Peace Luna. You will be missed.
- J.R.'s blog
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I never met Luna, personally, but did meet her Uncle Maurice (Mad Dog) Vachon when my dad sold a cabin to him. Luna was a favorite, unique and interesting competitor to watch on tv. I was shocked at her passing. It's always sad to see someone leave us at a young age. I'm only 35, but I have to agree with you JR, when you say that you look back and ask where that decade went.
It's sad that yet another wrestler has died well before their time. Thank you Jim for sharing your thoughts on Luna with us on here.
About 2 weeks ago this was in the wrestling observer online report: Mick Foley is starting a drive to help Luna Vachon, who lost all of her memorabilia of her career in a house fire. Anyone who has action figures, magazines, photos, etc. related to Vachon who can help can send to Luna Vachon, P.O. Box 5813, Spring Hill, FL 34611. I mailed her some magazines that had her picture that I had the day prior to her death. I was shocked and saddened that she had passed away.. Condolences to your family.
Mr. Ross, I'd like to offer my sincere condolences to you on yet another loss. I was, and will always be, a huge Dr Death fan. My dear, late Grandma used to take me to the MidSouth/UWF matches at the convention center, and when Doc died it was a big blow to me. He was and will always be my favorite wrestler of all time. Fortunately, I had the chance to meet and speak with him over the course of a couple days a few years back. He didn't disappoint me in the slightest. I could go on about that but today is not the time. Unfortunately, I never got the chance to meet Ms. Lachon. She was an excellent talent who I was always drawn to. When I found out today she passed, not only was I shocked, but it reminded me of the preciousness of life. I (and my immediate family) have been through a lot lately. I imagine I don't need to tell you this, but prayer is what has gotten me through it. I will include the Vachon family in my prayers tonight and hope those who read this do the same. Thank you sir for your insight on Ms. Vachon that we would otherwise not have known.
On a personal note, I would like to thank you and your wife. I went to the OU/Florida BCS game. After the tough loss, on my way to the car, I came across the two of you. Even though our Sooners lost, you were kind enough to pose with me for a picture that your wife took. I wouldn't normally bring this up but after Ms. Vachon't passing (and a couple of other things that have happened to me lately) I was reminded that tomorrow is never guaranteed. I just wanted to thank you for being just like Doc. One of my idols who were even better in person than I could have imagined. Thank you very much Mr. Ross and pass those thanks on to your wife as well. May God be with you and yours.
Jason
J.R.
I am so sorry that yet again you’ve had to share your thoughts and memories of and about a wrestler who the heavenly father has called home. Although it probably tugs away at your emotions, you are a portentous encomiast. You remind us that the wrestlers regardless of their flaws are first and foremost human beings. They’re someone’s mother or father, a sister, brother, cousin, nephew, niece, or someone who had people that they called family.
I’ve read so many biographies of wrestlers it is insane. I know one common theme amongst the old school wrestlers, and that they’ve all written about the time away from their loved ones, and spent more time on the road with their peers. {On a side note if there is an autobiography out there that people may not be aware of, can you recommend it? Or if you can recommend a biography going back to the days of the AWA and Bob Luce Wrestling from Chicago, could you share the title with us?}
Sorry for the digression from the subject.
Let’s go back to the last sentence in the first paragraph. J.R. you shed a bright light upon who these people are in their heart and in their sole. Your eulogies make me feel like I’m back in my childhood days just sitting in the backyard on my grandparent’s picnic table listening to my elder relatives talk. I’m on the picnic table listening to them tell stories about the many relatives from their generation and those that were in the generation before them. You eulogies paint a picture of what family is about in the world of professional wrestling. Family doesn’t always have to deal with shared DNA that creates a biological connection between people. To me family is who you feel most comfortable with. Family is the person or persons who will stand shoulder to shoulder with you when life is trying to tear you down and they refuse to let you fall.
I’m a member of the American Legion and soon to be a member of the VFW. I’m one of the youngest members of my legion post at 48 years of age. I have many veterans in my post that fought the Germans in Europe during D-Day, or in the battles of the Pacific against the Japanese. But what I have more than just a soldier, airman, or marine is a family.
By being a member of the legion I have countless hours of stories and friendships with great men telling them. When one passes and we stand honor guard at their wakes and funerals we are amongst their family. We feel the sadness for their loss, and we rejoice in the many memories eulogized by family and friends. I personally feel that every time one of my fellow legionnaires passes away I loose a fatherly or grandfatherly figure. I lose that great uncle who would tell you what life was like; {Back in my day). I feel the void left by their passing but I rejoice in the knowledge that they’ve fought their last war, and have gone to a place where peace and tranquility reign. I hope the images of the wars they fought and the sights they’ve seen no longer occupy their dreams.
J.R. even though it must pain you to do it so often these days, thanks for reminding us about the human side of those wrestlers that have perished. There are so many know-it-alls who post remarks in the IWC that look only to tear the legacies of the departed to the ground. They do it with innuendo, crazy speculations, false rumors, and in some cases absolutely hateful remarks about the departed. It’s good to know that there is someone like you who reminds us that, “wrestlers are people too.”
I am deeply sadded by the news of Ms. Luna Vachon's passing, my heart is broken in the news of her passing. On behalf of all WWE Fans from the 1980's and up, my heart goes out to the vachon family and ask alll fans to join me in prayer for the peace and comfort of the spirit of this noble diva who paved the way for all the diva's in the WWE Today for without her, none of this is possible
Rest in Peace in Luna. She was crazy and nuts at the same time I wish thier were performers like her who had a passion for the bussiness. It was a toching blog JR. Luna was one in a million. She is up in heaven the first person to give her a hug is Sheri Martle . Triple Threat match in heaven. Luna vs Sheri vs Moohula. Captin Lou is the ref.
Thank U Luna for the memories She reunited with BAM BAM.
A beautiful tribute to Luna, JR. I only wish you wouldn't have had to write it until 30 years or so from now.
We have lost both Luna and Sherri Martel ... true personalities who raised the level of every show they appeared on.
Rest In Peace Luna. She was crazy and nuts at the same time I wish thier was more people and performers who were passion for the bussiness. It was in her jeans to be a wrestler. It was a beautiful blog Jr. She Will be missed. Right know Sherri and Moohula are giving her a hug and having match in heaven. Rest in Peace Luna Vachon
Yes she will be missed
I remember all the crazy stuff she did
This has been a bad, bad month. Too many people taken way too soon. Luna was a good person. She was a scary woman, with a voice like 10 miles of country road and a look like The Road Warriors demented sister, but she loved the life and I never heard anyone say anything bad about her, and she was a star! Her time working with Bam Bam Bigelow were among my favorite moments in wrestling. My heartfelt condolences go to her children and her family, we'll miss her.
I always enjoyed watching Luna. She was one of the few female wrestlers that I believed. She wasn't about the T and A. She will be missed.
that Blog was a tear jerker all I know is when she was on TV it was like seeing a painter work there magic on a cavans. rip Luna womens wrestling will miss you and I know you made a big impact on it!