I remember one night when Argentina Apollo and I were wrestling The Assassins in Atlanta for Gunkel Enterprises. On this particular night, Charlie Smith was the referee and I went over the top rope. I had a way of grabbing the top rope and protecting myself, but when I hit the floor, I landed wrong and it stunned me to where I didn't know if I was hurt or not. Charlie bailed out and asked if I was okay. I told him to call an ambulance and just laid there. Charlie stayed beside me, protecting me from the fans who were concerned, but crowding in around me. Someone turned the ring light on and it was shining right into my eyes. All of a sudden, somebody was standing over me, shading me. I never forgot that.
A year or so later, Ray Candy got into the wrestling business. Four years later, we were in Puerto Rico and he was wrestling under a different name in the main event.
He sat in the dressing room and said, "Dickie, you know ... years ago, I just loved you. I thought you were the greatest thing. My grandma loved you, my family loved you. I don't know if you remember, but I was up in the balcony the night you went over the top rope in the Atlanta City Auditorium. I ran all the way down from the balcony to the ring. I was just a fan and was afraid I might get arrested, but I headed toward the ring. I looked at you suffering there on the floor and the only thing I could do was to shade the light from you eyes." Ray said, "You know. I was a fool. I was just a dumb fool. I just stood there looking down at you."
I told him, "No you weren't, Ray. You had wrestling in your heart so much, you loved it so much, that you were determined, for whatever reason, to get into the business. And here you are in Puerto Rico, four years later, wrestling in the main-event before a sell-out crowd. Welcome to the business, Ray." He said, "You know what? I think you're right."
The love that Ray Candy had for the business was what made him successful. He will be missed by many.
