Strange Love: How Pro Wrestling Taught Me to Relax and Love My Mom

This is one of the many intriguing tales of Shawn Michals (NOT to be confused with WWE’s Heartbreak Kid), a young fatherless man from the Midwest who moves to Los Angeles after his mother commits suicide. Driven by a quest to follow in the steps of those men who have served as his father figures, uncertain if he’s finding his mind or losing it, Shawn enters the world of professional wrestling and the many identities it has to offer. This story lays bare Shawn’s loss, his quest and self-discovery amidst the chaotic world of professional wrestling. Many people may look at Los Angeles as a place of shallow dreams, just as many may thumb their nose at pro wrestling. But Shawn’s journey reveals otherwise. The art form that is professional wrestling, along with the backdrop of Los Angeles, is an invitation for all to confront, laugh, cry, and to finally accept with gratitude this crazy ride called life.