Support Nick “Afrozilla” Gaston's Family After Tragic Loss

With the Heaviest Heart…

It is with overwhelming sadness that we share that our baby brother, Nicholas Gaston, passed away unexpectedly yesterday morning from what we believe was a massive heart attack. This is the greatest heartbreak we have ever known.

Nick leaves behind his girlfriend Jalissa, and their four precious babies—just 5, 3, 2 years old, and a newborn only a month old. Support will be needed in many ways in the days and weeks to come, but most importantly, financial support, as Nick was the sole breadwinner.

As many of you already know, since September of last year both our father and stepfather have been battling cancer. Both have received chemo and radiation and have had many unexpected setbacks along the way. Our dad was actually already hospitalized in the same hospital where Nick ended up being taken. We have exhausted the majority of our resources during this time and never anticipated something like this happening. Our dad has always been there to help Nick’s family financially, when needed, but is not able to currently due to his health.

Please consider donating, all donations will go towards his final arrangements and to to help support Nick’s girlfriend and their children during this unimaginable time as they figure out their new normal

Nick was meant for fatherhood and excelled at it.

His babies were his world, listening to them play together and hearing all of their giggles, including Nick, it was one the most beautiful sounds in the world.

If you were lucky enough to meet Nick—affectionately known by his fighting name “Afrozilla”—you know you were better for it. Someone said yesterday, “I never saw him without a smile,” and that smile is one of the many things we will miss most.

He was the definition of a gentle giant. His hugs made you feel safe and loved. His love and dedication to his children were unmatched. If you were Nick’s friend, you were his family and he would protect and love you fiercely. He would do anything for the people he cared about—as long as it was in their best interest. Always ready to listen or debate a topic (passionately!), he wasn’t trying to argue—he truly believed in sharing knowledge that could help others.

Nick was our baby brother. We were his protectors for many years—even after he outgrew us by age 11. We only wish we could have protected him from this.

Please, please encourage everyone you know to get regular health checkups. Take high blood pressure and heart disease seriously. Nick was the picture of health—he ate well, worked out constantly, didn’t smoke, rarely drank, never touched hard drugs. And still, at just 40 years old, he's gone.

It’s unfair, and we can’t begin to wrap our minds around it. But if his story saves even one life, his passing won’t be in vain.

Prior to finding his true calling as a father, he had amassed a large fan base during his amateur and pro MMA careers. Dazzling fans with his wild flying knees and elbows that seemed to be chiseled from stone. He achieved a great amount of success in a short period of time. This success lead to Nick being selected to star in two episodes of Bully Beatdown on MTV.

Nick was a world class athlete who brought enjoyment and entertainment to many thousands during his professional MMA career as Afrozilla, in the King of the Cage league. HE LIVED LIFE. His fighting career allowed him to befriend the top fighters in the UFC. He was able to go cliff diving in Washington and deep sea fishing in Miami. He was a headliner in Las Vegas, Miami and other venues. Nick’s Professional career spanned seven years. His athletic career started at Brookhaven High School, where he was an all-state football player and made many life long friends. Later he was a member of The Ohio State football team for three years, which, because of some ridiculous transfer and academic rules which have since been abolished, he never got into a game yet he stayed as a practice player for three years, which speaks to his grit, determination and tenacity. He had a brief career in the Arena Football league, and then tried boxing. However, his first fight at the Ohio State Fair in 2006, at weigh-ins, his opponent walked out as Nick was taking his shirt off. One look at Nick’s massive musculature, his supposed opponent, turned around and walked out. That would happen several times in his MMA career as well. Soon he found a home and family at Black Dragon MMA Gym with Aaron Boggs. Nick’s training regimen was intense and few could ever match him.

Nick is a legend around Columbus. From his athletic career, working as a bouncer on High St for years, or in the upscale security work, Nick met and befriended so many people, it was about impossible to go anywhere people didn’t know Nick and his huge smile and tremendous hugs.

As a twenty-year old, the older, more experienced weight-lifters at the gym he attended would stop their routines to watch Nick come in an do his routine, especially the leg machine.

As Afrozilla in the MMA Nick had a professional record of 11-1, but had to retire due to injuries and his heart condition.

Nick had a strict moral code. Loyalty was vital to Nick, and if you were in his chosen family he was ever loyal.

This post will be updated with final arrangements when they have been decided.