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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."