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 Welp. This is me, Mercedes Martinez.
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 <br>
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 As many of you know, on August 15th, I was injured in the ring. The prognosis: a torn ACL in my right knee.
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 <br>
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 Definitely not the way I envisioned ending my in-ring wrestling career.
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 <br>
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 But… such is life.
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 After almost 26 years in this business, I’ve learned that you can plan, prepare, and give everything you have...and sometimes life throws you a curveball you never saw coming.
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 <br>
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 So right now, I’m doing my best to stay levelheaded, manage the stress and frustration, and take this one day at a time.
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 For those who may not know my story, I’ve been wrestling for 25 years, going on 26. For most of that time, I also worked a full-time job and a part time job, all while pursuing wrestling.
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 <br>
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 Six years ago, I finally took the leap and became a full-time professional wrestler.
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 In 2020, I signed my first contract with WWE.
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 In 2021, I signed with AEW.
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 Those contracts also meant something I had never taken for granted: money for health benefits.
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 When my AEW contract expired, those benefits went away too. And because I returned to being an independent wrestler, my income dropped significantly.
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 Since then, I’ve been paying for my healthcare completely out of pocket.
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 And now, this injury has created a situation I never expected to be in.
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 I need surgery on my right ACL, followed by rehabilitation. Because I currently don't have health insurance, I am considered self-pay, which means the surgery has to be paid for outright before it can be scheduled.
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 <br>
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 The same goes for rehab. Each session has to be paid for at the time of the appointment.
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 On top of the medical costs, I still have everyday bills to pay while I’m unable to work.
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 I honestly didn’t expect to have no income through the end of December. This injury completely threw a massive curveball into my plans for the next year.
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 The money raised through this GoFundMe will help cover:
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 <br>
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 • My ACL surgery
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 • Medications and medical expenses
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 • Physical therapy and rehabilitation
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 • My regular bills while I’m unable to work
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 • The unexpected costs that come with this injury
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 <br>
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 My hope is to get through this without putting myself into medical debt—or debt in general—while giving myself the opportunity to properly heal.
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 I’ve already had quite a few medical appointments and expenses, and so many of you have helped by purchasing my merch and gear to help offset those costs.
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 <br>
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 I cannot tell you how much that support has meant to me.
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 But I still need some help.
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 <br>
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 I gave almost 26 years of my life to this business. I’ve been incredibly lucky to have made it through nearly all of those years relatively unscathed besides 2 shoulder surgeries that I HAD health insurance to cover for.
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 <br>
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 I never expected my in-ring career to potentially end this way.
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 But I also know that wrestling has given me so much more than the ability to step between those ropes.
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 It gave me a life.
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 It gave me incredible experiences.
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 It gave me people I love.
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 And it gave me a community that has supported me through some of the highest and lowest moments of my life.
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 So now, I’m asking that community for a little help getting through this one.
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 Whether you can donate, share this fundraiser, buy some merch, or simply send some love my way—thank you.
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 Every single bit helps.
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 My goal is to get this surgery, get through rehab, heal properly, and then figure out what the next chapter looks like.
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 I hope that once I’m healed, I can continue to be part of this business in a non-in-ring capacity.
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 <br>
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 Because I’m not ready to walk away from wrestling completely.
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 Thank you for 25 years. (Nov will hit 26yrs)
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 <br>
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 Thank you for the love.
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 <br>
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 Thank you for the support.
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 <br>
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 And thank you for helping me get through what is undoubtedly going to be one hell of a chapter.
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 <br>
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 From the bottom of my heart…
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 <br>
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 I love you all.
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 <br>
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<div>
 — Mercedes
</div>

Elizabeth Schweizer Devine

Thomas G. Tellefsen

Michael D'Agostino

Clint Smith

Anonymous

George Gatewood

Kimberly Cox

Scott Dunlap

John Hnatin

Jonathan Wiggins

Chris Rains

Jared Keefe

Brian Twohig

Thomas Fox

Help Mercedes Martinez Through ACL Surgery & Recovery

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Help Mercedes Martinez Through ACL Surgery & Recovery

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