A WWE superstar is dealing with a personal tragedy, with Johnny Gargano taking to social media on Monday to reveal that his family’s restaurant in Cleveland, Ohio, has burned down.
The fire occurred at Gargano’s, which is located at 3484 W. 25th St in Cleveland. According the reigning WWE tag team champion, his 82-year-old father was not at the restaurant when the fire occurred.
“I figured I should touch on this because people are finding out, and I know a lot of wrestling fans were looking forward to going to my Dad’s restaurant when they were in Cleveland for Summerslam,” Gargano wrote. “Last night, there was a fire, and my Dad’s restaurant was badly damaged. I’m grateful that my Dad was not there and is okay. He is 82 years old, this is his life’s work. He has worked in that building every day for almost 50 years. I basically grew up there.. and now it’s just gone. It is extremely heartbreaking for my family.”
I figured I should touch on this because people are finding out, and I know a lot of wrestling fans were looking forward to going to my Dad’s restaurant when they were in Cleveland for Summerslam.
Last night, there was a fire, and my Dad’s restaurant was badly damaged. I’m… pic.twitter.com/tQnWFATfR6
— Johnny Gargano (@JohnnyGargano) July 22, 2024
Gargano’s has been a staple of the Cleveland community and was even used to tape vignettes during Johnny Gargano’s run in WWE’s developmental brand, NXT. As Gargano noted, he is slated to return to Cleveland next week when Cleveland Browns Stadium hosts its SummerSlam premium live event on Aug. 3.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.