Richard Holliday hasn’t stepped foot in a wrestling ring since the end of June. Since then, he’s been battling a far different opponent: Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
“It’s been a whirlwind,” says Holliday, whose real name is Joe Zimbardi. “You never expect this to happen to you. I prided myself on my health, so to receive news like this was quite a shock.
Holiday began experiencing a severe bout of night sweats in June, a time when his sole focus was on the Falls Count Anywhere match against MLW Champion Alexander Hammerstone. The relationship between the former best friends had fallen apart when Holliday exposed Hammerstone and their match at the Melrose Ballroom in Queens was payback for the angle.
Only 30, Holiday thrived as a heel, cutting compelling promos and backing up his antics in the ring. A modern day Paul Roma (especially fitting since he trained under Roma), this MLW feud marked the beginning of Holiday’s rise as a top heel.
But these plans were suddenly put on hold.
“When I wrestled Hammer in June, I was taking Dayquil to try to get through each day,” Holliday says. “I kept pushing and pushing but I just felt upset. At that point I had just returned from California. I was freezing the whole time I was there. I was pale white when I left after a month.
At first, the prevailing thought was that he had contracted some kind of virus or stomach bug. After finishing his match against Hammerstone, his condition continued to deteriorate.
Severe bouts of vertigo arrived in July, necessitating a visit to the emergency room. His iron and hemoglobin were dangerously low, and doctors thought he was anemic.
“I was taking iron pills to try to counteract it, but my levels kept dropping,” Holliday says. “They checked to see if I had internal bleeding, which I didn’t, and then they did a number of tests and scans of my body for a possible case of lymphoma in September. These tests confirmed that it was Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
Sitting in a sterile room at St. Vincent Medical Center in Bridgeport, Conn., Holliday, whose mother was on speakerphone, listened as his doctor informed him he had cancer.
“It was gut-wrenching, devastating,” Holliday says. “But right then I knew I had to change my way of thinking. The mind feeds the body so I had to stay positive. My doctor assured me that I can beat this and I believe I will.”
For those familiar with Holliday’s in-ring bravado, it will come as little surprise that he asked to begin chemotherapy immediately during the same conversation with his doctor when he learned of his diagnosis. And his aggressive outlook didn’t change after learning the diagnosis was stage 4 lymphoma.
“My plan is not to lose to lymphoma; my plan is to inspire people,” says Holliday, who is now halfway through his 12 rounds of chemotherapy. “I’m going to come out of this stronger and let people know they can beat it too.”
Holliday makes every effort to stay in shape. He works out, with long walks becoming his new favorite form of cardio. This will change as he gets stronger and better able to build his stamina and physical activity. And he has a secret weapon that is fueling his recovery in pro wrestling.
The thought of getting back into the ring and resuming his life’s work is instant inspiration. A return to pro wrestling is constantly on Holliday’s mind, a sign that his recovery is progressing.
“At first, for a while, I was so busy with treatment, I felt so removed from the struggle,” Holliday says. “It was hard to even watch, knowing he was taken away from me. Now I can’t stop thinking about going back.
“Outside of my family, wrestling is the most important thing in my life. I was so upset that it was taken from me. Now I’m so excited for the future.”
Holliday is drawing his comeback day by day. It is a shining light for him, providing continued hope amid the hardships of chemotherapy.
“I think about coming back every day,” Holliday says. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t. But it’s a process. I know there are more steps after chemo. I’m mentally ready right now. Physically I know it will take some time. But I will be back.”
Cancer is an opponent unlike any Holliday has faced before, but his time in professional wrestling has taught him that the hero always overcomes the heel. His only goal is to reach his next milestone, when he can be declared cancer-free after his latest treatment — and then ring the celebratory bell to mark the occasion.
“When I ring the bell, I plan to do it so hard that I break it,” Holliday says. “I’d be happy to buy them a new one.”
Holliday is driven by dreams of a long life and his endless ambition. Filled with fighting spirit, he is grateful for the strength to defeat this terrible disease.
“This process works as long as you stay positive,” Holliday says. “And I will beat him.”
Justin Barrasso can be found at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @Justin Barrasso.