Almost four months on from Daffney’s tragic passing, IMPACT Wrestling’s Rosemary discusses the legacy left behind by “The Scream Queen”.
During an interview with Inside The Ropes’ Adam Morrison, Rosemary spoke openly about the late Daffney and how she paved the way in IMPACT Wrestling for darker characters, such as herself and Su Yung, to become more accepted, tying into IMPACT’s association with the brilliant Tag Me In campaign.
The former Knockouts World Champion detailed the significance of Daffney towards her own career:
“Daffney was a wonderful, close, beautiful friend, and a beautiful soul. To be able to pick her brain and to recognise different techniques that she put forward… without Daffney in TNA, there is no Rosemary in IMPACT Wrestling, to be perfectly flat out. Without Daffney and without Roxxi Laveaux, without characters that set the precedent and paved the way for dark characters to be accepted, for the Su Yungs and the Rosemarys and the Havoks of IMPACT Wrestling now, we had to have them before.”
Rosemary would go on to discuss the importance of having a mental health campaign such as Tag Me In to support each other:
Coming out with the Tag Me In campaign, on top of that, Ashley Massarro and Hana Kimura and countless others that we’ve lost over the years. Enough is enough. Now is the time we talk about it and we help each other through this because, quite frankly, let’s not lose anymore.”
A former Cruiserweight Champion in World Championship Wrestling, Daffney wrestled under various aliases in the then-Total Nonstop Action, including Shannon, Shark Girl, and The Governor. As Daffney, though, she found the most success, challenging for the Knockouts Championship on a handful of occasions against Tara, before departing the promotion entirely in March 2011. She retired soon thereafter, filing a compensation claim against TNA, believing she had been working in an unsafe environment.
Tragically, Daffney passed away, as announced on 2 September. Various names within the wrestling industry would pay their respects online in the immediate aftermath while pushing for more open discussions regarding mental health.
If you or anyone you know is suffering from a mental health crisis, you can find help and support by contacting the organisations below:
National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK: 0800 689 5652
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, United States: 1-800-273-8255
The Canada Suicide Prevention Service: 1.833.456.4566