A Hard Working Guy Has a Grabber of a Birthday Party
Posted: Feb 23rd 2007 By: CMBurnham
All the workers knew this was more than an ordinary employee meeting at the Sam's Club in Fridley. All but Shane Sinclair.
Sinclair, who has Down Syndrome, was celebrating his 31st birthday Thursday. Little did he know that his all-time hero, pro wrestler Verne Gagne, was about to make his day.
"Everybody know what day it is today?" asked store manager Janet Nelif. "Shane's birthday!" his colleagues shouted. Sinclair smiled shyly, ducking his head, as Gagne crept up behind him.
"OK, you!" Gagne boomed. "Come on." As Sinclair swung around, Gagne crouched in a wrestling stance. Sinclair's eyes lit up, and a huge grin filled his face as he recognized his hero. The two shook hands, followed by an exuberant hug.
Sinclair, who lives in Blaine, has worked at Sam's for nine years. "He does his work very well. When you see him coming with his mop and bucket, you know he means business. He's a very sweet young man," said fellow employee Danae Kylander of Spring Lake Park.
Plans for the party began after a conversation Nelif had with Debbie Sullivan, who works in the meat department. Sullivan told Nelif how much Sinclair idolized Gagne, and said she knew a regular business customer, Sal DiLeo, who was acquainted with Gagne and just might be able to help them arrange something.
"It was so much fun to do this," Sullivan said.
After cutting Shane's birthday cake, Sinclair's parents, Vana and Lloyd, whisked him to an ice-fishing party on Lake Minnetonka with his hero.
Sinclair has followed professional wrestling since he was a boy. Another of his favorites was "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka, whose signature move was to climb on the ropes and "fly" down on his opponent.
"Shane tried it off the top of his bunk and head-butted his dresser," his mother said. Wrestling's not his sport, but in the Special Olympics he participates in basketball, track and field, bowling and swimming.
"He has so many medals we had to build a case for them -- probably well over a hundred," said his mom.
Sinclair was overwhelmed by the birthday surprise. "I'm pretty shocked," he said. "I'll never forget this day."
Supplemental Information
Spotlight in History
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- 1981 Junkyard Dog & Dick Murdoch def. The Grappler & The Super Destroyer for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
- 2003 The Sharpe Brothers (Chaz Sharpe & Rich Sharpe) def. John O'Malley & All-American Aaron for the ACW Tag Team Titles
- 2003 Se7en def. Aaron Neil for the ACW Hardcore Title
- 2008 Tyrone def. Jerry Bostic for the 3DW Violent Division Title
- 2019 Brandon Groom def. Brian Dixon for the BPW Lion Heart Title
- 2019 Doc Black became the BCW Heritage Rivalry Champion
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- 04-27 1978 The Assassin became the TSW Louisiana Champion
- 04-27 1981 Junkyard Dog & Dick Murdoch def. The Grappler & The Super Destroyer for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
- 04-27 2003 The Sharpe Brothers (Chaz Sharpe & Rich Sharpe) def. John O'Malley & All-American Aaron for the ACW Tag Team Titles
- 04-27 2003 Se7en def. Aaron Neil for the ACW Hardcore Title
- 04-27 2008 Tyrone def. Jerry Bostic for the 3DW Violent Division Title
- 04-27 2019 Brandon Groom def. Brian Dixon for the BPW Lion Heart Title
- 04-27 2019 Doc Black became the BCW Heritage Rivalry Champion
- 04-28 1954 Red Berry def. Whitey Whittler for the TSW Tri-State Title
- 04-28 1976 Ted DiBiase & Dick Murdoch def. Buck Robley & Bob Slaughter for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
- 04-28 1980 Kevin Von Erich def. Toru Tanaka for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
- 04-28 1989 The Simpson Brothers (Steve Simpson & Shaun Simpson) def. Beauty & The Beast (Terrance M. Garvin & The Beast [2nd]) for the WCCW Texas Tag Team Titles
- 04-28 2000 Heather Savage def. Jenna Love for the OPW Oklahoma Womens Title
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- 04-28 2007 Eric Rose def. Jersey Devil for the UWF06 Light Heavyweight Title
- 04-28 2007 Joe Herell became the UWF06 Violent Division Champion
- 04-28 2017 Brandon Groom def. Sam Stackhouse for the BPPW Oklahoma Title
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- 04-29 2006 AWOL def. Michael York for the TPW Heavyweight Title
- 04-29 2006 Natural Born Sinners (Appolyon & El Lotus) def. Pretty Young Things (Cade Sydal & Mitch Carter) for the ACW Tag Team Titles
- 04-29 2006 Rexx Reed def. Carnage for the ACW Hardcore Title
- 04-29 2006 Carnage def. Rexx Reed for the ACW Hardcore Title
- 04-29 2007 Aaron Neil def. Tyler Bateman for the MSWA Oklahoma Title
- 04-29 2007 Brad Michaels def. Ryan Davidson for the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Title
- 04-29 2007 Bad Boy & Outlaw became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champions
- 04-29 2011 The Unknown & Johnny USA def. Michael H & Mr. Big for the NCW Tag Team Titles
- 04-29 2011 Mr. Big became the NCW Heavyweight Champion
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- 04-29 2017 Aaron Anders became the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Champion
- 04-30 1954 Frenchy Roy became the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Champion
- 04-30 1971 Toru Tanaka def. Johnny Valentine for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
- 04-30 2004 Shadow of Death def. Terry Montana for the TPW Hardcore Title
- 04-30 2011 Ryan Reed def. Rolling Thunder for the UWE United States Title
- 04-30 2011 Ray Martinez def. Ryan Reed for the UWE United States Title
- 04-30 2016 Ray Martinez became the SRPW Heavyweight Champion
- 04-30 2022 Clayton Bloodstone def. Ky-Ote for the NCWO Choctaw Nation Title
- 04-30 2023 El Gallardo/El Vaquero def. Cappuccino Jones for the BPW Lion Heart Title
- 04-30 2023 Heavyweight Grappling (Dan Webber & Morrison) def. Subject To Death (Cade Fite & Leo Fox) for the BPW Oklahoma Tag Team Titles
- 05-01 1981 Super Destroyer def. Jim Garvin for the MSW Louisiana Title
- 05-01 2016 Skylar Slice def. Nikki Knight for the MSWA Ladies Title
- 05-01 2021 Fuel def. Derek James for the UWE Heavyweight Title
- 05-02 1969 Johnny Valentine def. Fritz Von Erich for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
- 05-02 1975 Mad Dog Vachon def. Billy Graham for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
- 05-02 1977 Stan Hansen def. Dick Murdoch for the TSW North American Title
- 05-02 1984 Krusher Khrushchev became the MSW Television Champion
- 05-02 1984 The Rock-N-Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) def. The Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton & Dennis Condrey) for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
- 05-02 2009 Ozzy Hendrix def. Shank for the SWCW Luchadore Title
- 05-02 2015 Gail Kim became the IWR Diamonds Champion
- 05-02 2015 Kareem Sadat became the BCW Independent Hardcore Champion
- 05-02 2021 Drake Gallows def. Blade [2nd] for the AIWF National Title
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