Post by CW .org .info .net on May 16, 2014 21:19:42 GMT -6
The Passing of Mr. Ray Cortese
Sept 11, 2006
From Duce Trey (Doug Simmons):
It's has taken me almost an hour to get this out. Mr. Ray Cortese past away late this afternoon.
I knew this was coming , but it doesn't make it any easier. He went peacefully with his wife and
children at his side. Nick and his family are mourning a difficult loss.
Please do not contact Nick at this time. He has asked me to keep everyone updated as
funeral arrangements are currently being made. He thanks everyone for their support and understanding.
If anyone has questions, please feel free to either call or pm me. Rest in peace Mr.Cortese.
From Great Malaki --
I was there along with close friends to mourn Mr. Cortese. Even now I just cant believe it.
I was trying to get there in time just to see him and say hello but when I rang the door bell
I was informed that he had just passed only 3 mins b4 I got there.
I couldn't then and I still cant now, I just cant shake the sadness and emptiness I feel inside.
I have lost a very good friend and I didn't even get to say goodbye.
There isn't much that I can say except that I will miss him very very much and that
I thank God for all the fond memories.
R.I.P. Ray Cortese.
P.S. You will be missed and never forgotten.
From Trauma:
Mr. Cortese had believed in many up an coming talents when no one else did.
He always had a positive outlook on life even through his rough times.
He will definitely be forever missed
R.I.P Ray Cortese
Nick my thoughts and prayers and with you through this time of grieving.
From C-Red:
I only met Mr.Cortese a few times.Being a manger in this business,it's kinda easy to get overlooked.
Mr.Cortese said that just by my look he knew who I was(I wasn't even in gear).
He had just gotten out the hospital & took at least an hour to just talk & get to know me
& some guys I was with.Nick & his family is his heart.I know there's a heaven & Mr.Cortese is
telling GOD about his love for his family & his love of wrestling!
From Wrestler 101:
Mr. Ray Cortese was a great man and I will always remember him and I thank him and his family for
letting me be a part of the show and I will always remember his smile when a AWA slam show was
going on and his humor. He is in a better place now and he will not feel any pain where he is at.
He always believed in my dad and me and I will always believe in him and his family.
He helped my dad out in hard times and I thank him for that. He is in my heart and my mind and
I will think of him every day. He will be truly missed. My thoughts and prayers are with the
Cortese family. RIP Mr. Cortese
From Steve Cain:
This saddens me greatly. I first met Ray when Nick was working for us at WWZ.
He was always a kick to have at the shows because he was so funny. I never thought the day
would come when I would be helping him out on the AWA SLAM shows. We always had a blast working
together and he never lost that love of just sitting there and enjoying the show. I will miss him very much.
From Rudo Cortez:
this is a blog i wrote on myspace. i thought i should share it with everyone here:
farewell to a friend
hello amigos,
at 8:48pm C-RED called me and told me the sad news that Ray Cortese, father of Buddha the Beast,
founder of awa/slam, lost his battle with cancer and past away around 7:00pm.. my heart goes out to
the Cortese family for their loss.
for those of you who know Ray, know that he was a good man. for those of you who don't know of him,
allow me to tell you what kind of man he was.
Ray was a stand up guy. i always called him "thee gentlman of gentlemen". he always had a smile in
his face when he met people. so warm and friendly. i remember him going to the wcpw show when Buddha
first broke into the biz. always cheering for the good guys, and always booing the the bad guys.
when it came to me and my partner, Eddie Cruz, he was our biggest fan. i can hear him cheering telling
us we were awesome.
when he decided to start his own promotion, we asked to work for him, he was so excited for us to be there.
he ALWAYS treated us great, and we loved working for him. he always had a smile, handshake, and hug for us.
i can remember the speeches he made before the show started, the were so inspirational and heartwarming.
he made you feel like family. i would get so excited before the show.
i remember the last time i seen him. it was at the carol stream show june 11th when Eddie tagged with me
in his return match. he was so thrilled to see me and Eddie tag again. he still cheered loudly even though
he was sick. after the show we went to see him and he greeted us in his typical fashion. big smile, handshake,
and hug. and he kissed our hands. it meant so much to me and eddie.
he will be greatly missed. i know, that at the shows, i will be looking and listening for him, but he won't
be there physically. but i know he will be there in spirit.
i know i should be thinking of him, but right now i'm thinking about his family. all my prayers go out to them.
God bless you, Ray. thank you for touching our lives. may you rest in peace, Ray Cortese.
From C-Red:
this is a sad day knowing that a great man has passed away.....
Mr. Cortese was always a great guy to be around and always had a positive attitude on everything and everyone....
he founded AWA-SLAM with his son and i have worked w/ him and his son in WWZ also....this is a sad day and my
thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones.......R.I.P Mr.Cortese u will be missed truely
From Eric Priest:
Very sad news. My condolences go out to Nick and family.
From Diego Corleone:
I am very saddened to hear about the passing of Mr. Ray Cortese. I was just on the phone with ducetrey
and informed me of his passing.
I regret that the last time I was able to see him was in July but when I talked to him he was in good spirits.
As I write this I cannot help but to think of the good memories Ive had with Mr. C. ( As ducetrey can attest
to just ask him about last years Elmwood Park Fest Show) .
I also will remember the shows he was at especially at the awaslam headquarters . I remember how in high spirits
he always was, and how he always supported me within my career. I also am indebted to Mr. C. for giving a venue
to train in after I had a falling out with a previous fed.
While I am deeply saddened by his passing, I will always remember the good times that were shared
Thanks for everthing RIP
Diego
From Steve Cain:
As I have been thinking about Ray today, I want to relate a story that no one has known about until now
except 4 people. I hope this will shine a light on the type of friend Ray Cortese was to those who knew him.
We ran an AWA SLAM show in my neck of the woods, the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles last summer.
I had talked to a lot of the people at my day job about it and one of my nurses and her husband decided
they wanted to go. When Ray and I talked on the phone to go over show time & matches, I asked if he could
put aside a couple of tickets for them for me. Ray being Ray, his response was, "No problem, brother".
We had the show and afterward, while my nurse and I were talking, her husband went up to pay Ray for the tickets.
Ray refused to take their money. He gave those tickets to them as a favor to me. I will never forget gestures
like that. Ray Cortese will live in my heart forever.
From Duce Trey:
Here are the details for Mr. Ray Cortese's wake this Thursday (September 14th):
Cumberland Chapel
8300 N. Lawrence
Norridge, IL 60706
3pm-9pm
Nick (Buddha) would like to express his appreciation for all of your support.
The comments and stories about his father have really made this a little easier on him.
Today is the first time I've heard him some what laugh in nearly a week.
Diego, I will never forget the Elmwood Park show last year. I still laugh thinking about that day.
I know of certain individuals that Mr. Cortese supported, housed, mentored, etc...
It would be cool if some of those individuals could forget any issues in the past and show Nick support.
At least do it for Ray. Thank you.
From Trauma:
I remember when I first was to Ray there was something about him that had a positive aura about him.
I remeber nights afters practices and/or meetings in the SLAM center myself, Nick, Fatal, Willie and
Mr. Cortese would sit back talk and laugh for hours later until Nick had to kick us out cause he had
to go to work. I Remember when he said over and over again that he did not qant us to be just a company
but a family to be able to come to one another and talk to one another and he was there to talk to even
when he was pressed doing many other things. Words can not possibly express how much Ray Cortese is loved
and how much he will be missed.
From Prince Ali:
I believe one of the most important things a man must do in his life is leave something behind for him to
be remembered by....
Mr. Cortese left behind a lot memories for a lot people. He helped out a lot of the boys through some of
their most difficult times. He helped put together an organization that not only allowed families to come
together to simply be entertained but also brought a group of warriors together to have a sense a family.
But of all the great things this man has done, the one thing that remains prominent in my mind was his
ability to make anyone smile. When I think of Ray, I smile. All these memories of ribs and jokes come
into my mind. Anytime I talk to a friend about Ray, we smile. Anytime Ray is brought up, you cant help...but smile.
I believe Ray's greatest gift was to bring a smile to everyone's face. Even in death, when i think of Ray, I smile...
With your amazing soul, Ray, you have left behind something to be remembered by. Your spirit, hardwork, dedication,
compassion, but most of all...your ability to make me smile.
R.I.P. and thank you for everything
ALTO
From D-Nytemare:
I've met Ray only once but he welcomed me to practice at Slam with open arms. it was the first time i was in the
ring since i injured my knee earlier in 2005. i was seriously considering quitting wrestling . i had been stressed
out because of some bs in my life but being in the ring that day and talking to Ray let me know why i wanted to be
a wrestler and all thi crap went away. He's one of the reasons i'm still doing what i Love and for Mr. Cortese
i say thank u and God Bless You
From Mike Mass:
Its a real shame to lose such a sweet old friend. he meant alot to me, and i had only known him a short time.
Over the course of about 4 years i got to know Ray pretty darn well.
What ill always remember about him, is his Head Coach like personality in the locker room, and his warm heart
outside the locker room. Speaking of outside the locker room, another thing he had no problem doing, was making
the fans feel very welcome to his company. And he truely enjoyed putting on shows for the people.
I always use to kid around and call him another Mike Ditka... Cuz he would stand in the back of the gym not
taking any of the lime light of the performers, and he would do anything he could to pump up a crowd that got
to Quiet.....
I miss you very much old man.... be in peace my good friend.... Sorry that i never spent more time with you......
Bad Ass Mike Mass..................................................................................
And thanks to Sam for the 10 Bell in Cicero.... I was really surprised he did that...
Sept 11, 2006
From Duce Trey (Doug Simmons):
It's has taken me almost an hour to get this out. Mr. Ray Cortese past away late this afternoon.
I knew this was coming , but it doesn't make it any easier. He went peacefully with his wife and
children at his side. Nick and his family are mourning a difficult loss.
Please do not contact Nick at this time. He has asked me to keep everyone updated as
funeral arrangements are currently being made. He thanks everyone for their support and understanding.
If anyone has questions, please feel free to either call or pm me. Rest in peace Mr.Cortese.
From Great Malaki --
I was there along with close friends to mourn Mr. Cortese. Even now I just cant believe it.
I was trying to get there in time just to see him and say hello but when I rang the door bell
I was informed that he had just passed only 3 mins b4 I got there.
I couldn't then and I still cant now, I just cant shake the sadness and emptiness I feel inside.
I have lost a very good friend and I didn't even get to say goodbye.
There isn't much that I can say except that I will miss him very very much and that
I thank God for all the fond memories.
R.I.P. Ray Cortese.
P.S. You will be missed and never forgotten.
From Trauma:
Mr. Cortese had believed in many up an coming talents when no one else did.
He always had a positive outlook on life even through his rough times.
He will definitely be forever missed
R.I.P Ray Cortese
Nick my thoughts and prayers and with you through this time of grieving.
From C-Red:
I only met Mr.Cortese a few times.Being a manger in this business,it's kinda easy to get overlooked.
Mr.Cortese said that just by my look he knew who I was(I wasn't even in gear).
He had just gotten out the hospital & took at least an hour to just talk & get to know me
& some guys I was with.Nick & his family is his heart.I know there's a heaven & Mr.Cortese is
telling GOD about his love for his family & his love of wrestling!
From Wrestler 101:
Mr. Ray Cortese was a great man and I will always remember him and I thank him and his family for
letting me be a part of the show and I will always remember his smile when a AWA slam show was
going on and his humor. He is in a better place now and he will not feel any pain where he is at.
He always believed in my dad and me and I will always believe in him and his family.
He helped my dad out in hard times and I thank him for that. He is in my heart and my mind and
I will think of him every day. He will be truly missed. My thoughts and prayers are with the
Cortese family. RIP Mr. Cortese
From Steve Cain:
This saddens me greatly. I first met Ray when Nick was working for us at WWZ.
He was always a kick to have at the shows because he was so funny. I never thought the day
would come when I would be helping him out on the AWA SLAM shows. We always had a blast working
together and he never lost that love of just sitting there and enjoying the show. I will miss him very much.
From Rudo Cortez:
this is a blog i wrote on myspace. i thought i should share it with everyone here:
farewell to a friend
hello amigos,
at 8:48pm C-RED called me and told me the sad news that Ray Cortese, father of Buddha the Beast,
founder of awa/slam, lost his battle with cancer and past away around 7:00pm.. my heart goes out to
the Cortese family for their loss.
for those of you who know Ray, know that he was a good man. for those of you who don't know of him,
allow me to tell you what kind of man he was.
Ray was a stand up guy. i always called him "thee gentlman of gentlemen". he always had a smile in
his face when he met people. so warm and friendly. i remember him going to the wcpw show when Buddha
first broke into the biz. always cheering for the good guys, and always booing the the bad guys.
when it came to me and my partner, Eddie Cruz, he was our biggest fan. i can hear him cheering telling
us we were awesome.
when he decided to start his own promotion, we asked to work for him, he was so excited for us to be there.
he ALWAYS treated us great, and we loved working for him. he always had a smile, handshake, and hug for us.
i can remember the speeches he made before the show started, the were so inspirational and heartwarming.
he made you feel like family. i would get so excited before the show.
i remember the last time i seen him. it was at the carol stream show june 11th when Eddie tagged with me
in his return match. he was so thrilled to see me and Eddie tag again. he still cheered loudly even though
he was sick. after the show we went to see him and he greeted us in his typical fashion. big smile, handshake,
and hug. and he kissed our hands. it meant so much to me and eddie.
he will be greatly missed. i know, that at the shows, i will be looking and listening for him, but he won't
be there physically. but i know he will be there in spirit.
i know i should be thinking of him, but right now i'm thinking about his family. all my prayers go out to them.
God bless you, Ray. thank you for touching our lives. may you rest in peace, Ray Cortese.
From C-Red:
this is a sad day knowing that a great man has passed away.....
Mr. Cortese was always a great guy to be around and always had a positive attitude on everything and everyone....
he founded AWA-SLAM with his son and i have worked w/ him and his son in WWZ also....this is a sad day and my
thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones.......R.I.P Mr.Cortese u will be missed truely
From Eric Priest:
Very sad news. My condolences go out to Nick and family.
From Diego Corleone:
I am very saddened to hear about the passing of Mr. Ray Cortese. I was just on the phone with ducetrey
and informed me of his passing.
I regret that the last time I was able to see him was in July but when I talked to him he was in good spirits.
As I write this I cannot help but to think of the good memories Ive had with Mr. C. ( As ducetrey can attest
to just ask him about last years Elmwood Park Fest Show) .
I also will remember the shows he was at especially at the awaslam headquarters . I remember how in high spirits
he always was, and how he always supported me within my career. I also am indebted to Mr. C. for giving a venue
to train in after I had a falling out with a previous fed.
While I am deeply saddened by his passing, I will always remember the good times that were shared
Thanks for everthing RIP
Diego
From Steve Cain:
As I have been thinking about Ray today, I want to relate a story that no one has known about until now
except 4 people. I hope this will shine a light on the type of friend Ray Cortese was to those who knew him.
We ran an AWA SLAM show in my neck of the woods, the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles last summer.
I had talked to a lot of the people at my day job about it and one of my nurses and her husband decided
they wanted to go. When Ray and I talked on the phone to go over show time & matches, I asked if he could
put aside a couple of tickets for them for me. Ray being Ray, his response was, "No problem, brother".
We had the show and afterward, while my nurse and I were talking, her husband went up to pay Ray for the tickets.
Ray refused to take their money. He gave those tickets to them as a favor to me. I will never forget gestures
like that. Ray Cortese will live in my heart forever.
From Duce Trey:
Here are the details for Mr. Ray Cortese's wake this Thursday (September 14th):
Cumberland Chapel
8300 N. Lawrence
Norridge, IL 60706
3pm-9pm
Nick (Buddha) would like to express his appreciation for all of your support.
The comments and stories about his father have really made this a little easier on him.
Today is the first time I've heard him some what laugh in nearly a week.
Diego, I will never forget the Elmwood Park show last year. I still laugh thinking about that day.
I know of certain individuals that Mr. Cortese supported, housed, mentored, etc...
It would be cool if some of those individuals could forget any issues in the past and show Nick support.
At least do it for Ray. Thank you.
From Trauma:
I remember when I first was to Ray there was something about him that had a positive aura about him.
I remeber nights afters practices and/or meetings in the SLAM center myself, Nick, Fatal, Willie and
Mr. Cortese would sit back talk and laugh for hours later until Nick had to kick us out cause he had
to go to work. I Remember when he said over and over again that he did not qant us to be just a company
but a family to be able to come to one another and talk to one another and he was there to talk to even
when he was pressed doing many other things. Words can not possibly express how much Ray Cortese is loved
and how much he will be missed.
From Prince Ali:
I believe one of the most important things a man must do in his life is leave something behind for him to
be remembered by....
Mr. Cortese left behind a lot memories for a lot people. He helped out a lot of the boys through some of
their most difficult times. He helped put together an organization that not only allowed families to come
together to simply be entertained but also brought a group of warriors together to have a sense a family.
But of all the great things this man has done, the one thing that remains prominent in my mind was his
ability to make anyone smile. When I think of Ray, I smile. All these memories of ribs and jokes come
into my mind. Anytime I talk to a friend about Ray, we smile. Anytime Ray is brought up, you cant help...but smile.
I believe Ray's greatest gift was to bring a smile to everyone's face. Even in death, when i think of Ray, I smile...
With your amazing soul, Ray, you have left behind something to be remembered by. Your spirit, hardwork, dedication,
compassion, but most of all...your ability to make me smile.
R.I.P. and thank you for everything
ALTO
From D-Nytemare:
I've met Ray only once but he welcomed me to practice at Slam with open arms. it was the first time i was in the
ring since i injured my knee earlier in 2005. i was seriously considering quitting wrestling . i had been stressed
out because of some bs in my life but being in the ring that day and talking to Ray let me know why i wanted to be
a wrestler and all thi crap went away. He's one of the reasons i'm still doing what i Love and for Mr. Cortese
i say thank u and God Bless You
From Mike Mass:
Its a real shame to lose such a sweet old friend. he meant alot to me, and i had only known him a short time.
Over the course of about 4 years i got to know Ray pretty darn well.
What ill always remember about him, is his Head Coach like personality in the locker room, and his warm heart
outside the locker room. Speaking of outside the locker room, another thing he had no problem doing, was making
the fans feel very welcome to his company. And he truely enjoyed putting on shows for the people.
I always use to kid around and call him another Mike Ditka... Cuz he would stand in the back of the gym not
taking any of the lime light of the performers, and he would do anything he could to pump up a crowd that got
to Quiet.....
I miss you very much old man.... be in peace my good friend.... Sorry that i never spent more time with you......
Bad Ass Mike Mass..................................................................................
And thanks to Sam for the 10 Bell in Cicero.... I was really surprised he did that...