A retired lifelong wrestling fan has experienced his first-ever live match after professional grapplers made a surprise visit to his care home. Paul Bardell, 66, started his love of wrestling in childhood when he spent Saturday afternoons watching bouts with his family and cheering on household titans like Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks.
As he grew older, he became a devoted fan of WWE and the larger-than-life phenomenon of Hulkamania, but never had the opportunity to see a live match in person. Now, while being looked after by the team at Care UK’s Brook Court in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, they learned about Paul’s dream to reconnect with his favourite pastime and set about creating the ultimate experience.
Garden transformed with wrestling ring
Working with HCW Wrestling, they arranged a surprise visit to the home and transformed the garden with a 12ft x 12ft wrestling ring. Paul, along with fellow residents, gathered to watch Jonny Rose, Fenix Verde, Dan Striker, Wrecking Ball and Scrap Iron put on a show before enjoying the opportunity to meet the stars and pose for photographs.
In the first match, Jonny Rose defeated the villainous yet crowd-favourite Fenix Verde, setting the stage for a thrilling day of performances.
Resident's reaction
Paul said: "I won, I took over, and I loved it. I had photos taken and Fenix Verde in the green mask was my favourite!"
The visit was made possible thanks to Care UK’s Wishing Tree initiative, which encourages residents to suggest ideas for new hobbies they’d like to try, places they’d like to visit or even activities linked to past careers.
Home manager's thanks
Emma Metzger-Minns, Home Manager at Brook Court, said: "We were delighted to create such a memorable afternoon for Paul by bringing the thrill of wrestling directly to him!"
"The visit enabled him to reconnect with his passion, while also giving him the opportunity to reminisce about watching matches with friends and family when he was younger. Our Wishing Tree initiative is a great way for residents to share their dreams and passions, and it’s incredibly rewarding to be able to make these a reality."
"Seeing his reaction when he realised a wrestling ring had been built in the garden was incredible. It was a fantastic day for Paul and all the residents, and there was a real buzz throughout the home. A big thank you to our wonderful team and to HCW Wrestling for making this day so special."
