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What’s the story?
WWE referee Danilo Anfibio has taken to social media to open up about his personal life and incredible journey thus far.
Only Sportskeeda gives you the latest Wrestling News, rumors and updates.
Anfibio’s touching story includes struggling to make ends meet in his teenage years, and working his way up the pro-wrestling world, amidst several obstacles on the personal and professional fronts.
In case you didn’t know…
Danilo Anfibio (30) is a veteran professional wrestler, who has competed extensively on the independent professional wrestling circuit—having commenced training from the age of 13.
Anfibio is perhaps best known for serving as a WWE referee on the NXT and SmackDown Live brands.
The heart of the matter
Danilo Anfibio recalled that back when he was only 13 years of age, he worked two jobs in order to help him pay for professional wrestling training.
Anfibio added that he traveled up and down the east coast for $25 per match, over the course of 11 years, getting fired from jobs, having relationships ended, losing friends and going broke.
Additionally, Anfibio elucidated that the worst possible thing that happened was his mother had to battle a rare disease and unfortunately pass away, leaving him broken, sad and depressed.
Anfibio continued that he’d often sit for hours by her tombstone in the cemetery, talking to her, until the groundskeeper would kick him out the cemetery.
Furthermore, Anfibio explained that he eventually realized his mother would’ve liked him to utilize his time constructively rather than waste his time at the cemetery, and that realization, in turn, changed his life for the better. Below are excerpts from Anfibio’s Instagram post regarding his life story—
"At the age of 13, I worked two jobs to pay and begin training at a pro wrestling school. Traveled up and down the east coast wrestling for 25 dollars a match for over 11 years. Through out those years, I was fired from jobs, relationships ended, lost friends and went broke. To add to all of that, the worst possible imaginable thing happens. After battling a rare disease my mother passes away. I was broken, sad and depressed. I would go to the cemetery for months after and sit near her stone for hours and just talk to her, usually until the grounds keeper kicked me out at closing time.”
“Luckily with my angel watching over me, one day, sitting there it all hit me. Looking around I realized we all have a certain amount of time in our lives to live. My mom wouldn't of wanted me to keep going there just to sit around and waste life. She would of rather wanted to see me go work and succeed! She would of wanted me to keep pushing and keep living!”
“Never settle and keep working! Never except failure and and never take, NO for an answer! Everybody has their own story. Everybody has heart ache and disappointment and we all fail at some point in our lives but it is up to us not to except it and not let it take over our lives. We can change everything by making a decision. I know we all have bad days but it is up to us to make our days count. Keep working for it all, never except those NOs for answers and make doubters Remember Your Name!"
In the aforementioned tweet, WWE referee Danilo Anfibio can be seen in action on SmackDown Live.
What’s next?
Danilo Anfibio presently serves as a referee for the WWE’s SmackDown brand.
As of this writing, Anfibio’s aforementioned social media post has been garnering him widespread praise from the professional wrestling community.
Author’s take
My hat is off to Mr. Danilo Anfibio for opening up with such intimate details of his personal life.
Life is filled with challenges, and every individual has a journey filled with twists and turns.
Here’s hoping great things await Mr. Anfibio in the days to come.
