WWE Referee Daphanie LaShaunn Tragically Announces Death Of Family Members In House Fire
A WWE referee is looking for help after she lost several family members in a house fire.
Daphanie LaShaunn is a WWE referee who has worked for the company since February 2020. LaShaunn, whose real name is Aja Smith, was a wrestler before her tryout and has been a referee since she was signed.
After starting out in developmental and NXT, LaShaunn made history as the first black woman to referee a match at WrestleMania, serving as the referee at WWE WrestleMania 38 in 2022.
Sadly, LaShaunn shared a heartbreaking story on social media about how four family members died – grandma, grandpa, an uncle, and a cousin – in a house fire.
My heart aches. Last night I lost my grandma, grandpa, uncle, and cousin in a house fire. We were at the scene til the very end.. My soul is hollow right now. Please pray for my family as we navigate this unbelievable nightmare. Planning 4 funerals and rebuilding is gonna be tough. My cousin, A family of 7 with 5 kids, are now displaced with nothing to their name.
Anything helps even a repost. I’ve posted the gofundme link in my bio and I’ll also add it to my story. Thank you all so much.
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Daphanne LaShaunn’s Family Has Set Up GoFundMe To Help Loved Ones, WWE Superstars Helping Out
As LaShaunn mentioned, she has set up a GoFundMe donation to help the family pay for funerals and help out other loved ones. Part of the message is below.
Our family was recently struck by an unimaginable tragedy. A devastating house fire took the lives of four of our beloved family members. We are heartbroken beyond words and now face the overwhelming challenge of arranging funerals for our loved ones while helping my cousin care for her five children, who thankfully survived the fire but lost everything.
The costs for funerals, memorial services, and related expenses are incredibly high, and our family cannot cover everything on our own. We are asking for help to ensure our loved ones are honored with the dignity and care they deserve.
As of this writing, an incredible $81,400 has been raised. While looking at the top donations, some WWE superstars have contributed significant amounts, including Rhea Ripley (Demiti Bennett), Bayley (Pamela Martinez), Liv Morgan (Gionna Daddio), and some WWE referees as well, like Charles Robinson, Shawn Bennett, and others.
Everybody here at TJRWrestling sends our condolences to Daphanne and her family during this difficult time.