What Halloween Means To Me '14: Ed Gonzales

Today we hear from The FDTC Network's voice of the squared circle, Ed Gonzales.  Ed shares my two obsessions, horror movies and wrestling.  When he's not kicking ass in the ring, you can find him hosting Ribbin' On The Square Tuesday nights at 9pm.  So, Ed, what does Halloween mean to you?

When I was asked to write a story about what Halloween means to me, I accepted, not knowing much about what I was going to write. In the Gonzales household there is a clear cut owner of all things Halloween related, and that is my wife. She sets out the beginning of every September decorating the house and planning our annual Halloween party. Myself…as odd as it may sound am actually the “Christmas Guy” in our home. That being said…I have always been a fan of all things horror. Halloween to me as an adult seemed similar to New Year’s Eve. I can (and usually do) drink most nights of the year, why do I need to join all the amateurs on New Year’s Eve to do what I do anyway? I normally approach Halloween in the same mindset. My house seems decorated for Halloween nearly all year round, I spent over a decade dressing in costumes and pretending to be someone else 5 + days a week during my career as a professional wrestler… I was always celebrating Halloween, just on more days than October 31st.

That being said, don’t think I am downplaying Halloween, the holiday itself means quite a bit to me. One story in particular comes to mind when I think of Halloween,  that year, I didn’t have a costume, I didn’t plan on going out and getting treats from my neighbors, and I planned to spend it all alone in my bed room. The year was 1992 and I was 10 years old. Growing up, Halloween was always a big deal in the Gonzales’ house. My mother, my father, and even all of my sisters and brothers all always partook in the festivities. In years prior, I remember dressing up as my favorite pro wrestlers, but this year, it just wasn’t in the cards.

You see, that year I spent a good portion in and out of hospital beds. I spent most of the early part of 1992 getting various surgeries to fix a botched appendix removal. By late October of that year, I was finally sent home for an another attempt to recover. The gruesome detail of my healing process meant that I had to spend most of my days, bed ridden, with a giant open wound in my stomach. When Halloween approached, I had already made peace with the fact that I wouldn’t be able to spend it with my friends gorging on free candy. As my slightly older sisters got ready in their costumes I laid in bed. As my much older brother got in his costume to head to a party…I laid in bed… sulking.

As it got later, my house became more and more quiet as my siblings went out and enjoyed the holiday, every so often I would hear the door bell or knock on the door from various trick or treater’s  as my mother and aunt handed out candy. As it turned to dark, I heard my sisters arrive back home, much earlier than expected. Then there was a knock on my bedroom door. It was my sisters. They had decided, that even in my sickly state, I needed to be able to enjoy the Halloween night. I declined their offer as I didn’t have a costume. My sisters insisted and on the spot and created me a costume out of pieces of their own, a little make up, and a bandanna. What was I? I have no idea…but, I looked different enough from my normal everyday appearance for it to be considered a costume!

My sisters pushed me around the block in a wheel chair, knocking on doors for me and allowing me to be able to actually enjoy Halloween! That night, I got a pillow case full of candy, and, most importantly my first chance to be a normal kid again. I was asked to write a story about what Halloween means to me…and my response to that is, Halloween to me, means family and a chance for all of us, no matter what… a small chance at normalcy.

Happy Halloween everybody!"

15 days 'til Halloween, Halloween, Halloween.  15 days 'til Halloween.  Silver Shamrock.