Richard Holiday Discusses Treatment For Stage 4 Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Wrestling Return
Richard Holliday had to take a hiatus from wrestling last year after being diagnosed with Stage IV Hodgkins Lymphoma, successfully battling the cancer into remission. In a new interview with "Busted Open Radio," Holliday says that he tried to keep his head down and focus on his recovery.
"I didn't really have a timeline of 'Hey I want to do it in under this time' because you don't really put numbers on things like this," Holliday explained, "In hindsight, I'm like 'Wow, I was able to do this in under a year? That's pretty cool.'"
Despite his rapid recovery, Holliday still found himself dissociated with wrestling and had to find his way back into the business. Holliday also says there are new faces that he has to get to know.
"I'm seeing who's making their strides on the scene and trying to reinsert myself into the scene," Holliday laughed. "Popping up in different places and experiencing new promotions like GCW, that was something I never did prior in my career, and then it kinda came up during the Summer of Holliday."
Holliday underwent twelve rounds of chemotherapy to battle his cancer, and didn't find out he was Stage IV until halfway through his chemo.
"I started to regain how I looked, and the nurse came in and said, 'Wow, you look fantastic,' and I'm like, 'I feel fantastic,' and she's like, 'Considering you were Stage IV, this is pretty good.' I'm like 'What? Stage IV?'" Holliday says it's possible he didn't hear the doctor tell him he was Stage IV due to the stressful nature of the diagnosis.
Indirect Inspiration From A Yankee
Holliday says that New York Yankees' Anthony Rizzo was an indirect inspiration to him, as while neither athlete knew the other personally, Rizzo also had Stage IV Lymphoma, and Holliday held on to Rizzo's story for the hope that he too could beat his cancer and return to competing at a high level.
"If I can do that for one person," Holliday said, "whether it's in wrestling, out of wrestling ... that's your purpose right?"
Holliday says that he's ok with it not being an immediate inspiration, but just knows that it is a story anyone going through the same thing could stumble on someday, much like he did with Rizzo. He also says he still hasn't watched his first match post-recovery, as he wants to keep the pure memory of the 25-minute encounter with Brad Hollister, instead of nitpicking what he's sure could be a frustrating tape study.
"I'm just gonna let that match remain as pure as possible," he said.
Holliday wrestled his return match for Paradise Alley Pro Wrestling in Connecticut, the promotion that trained him, so he could make sure that friends and family could attend the emotional night. Holliday says the importance didn't sink in for him until the match was over.
"Once I announced that I was taking booking again, it began to fill up," Holliday said, noting that his focus on his first match back nearly made him forget all of his other bookings for the Summer of Holliday. Holliday says he is no longer with MLW but is grateful for the promotion taking a chance on him and giving him a national platform.