2010

June 2010 was a whirlwind of emotions for Chiara and me. I can still remember the day our daughter, Danica, was born like it was yesterday. I had been nervous and excited all at once, but when she finally arrived, none of the worry mattered anymore.

There she was—our second child together, and I could already see so much of Chiara in her. The moment I held her for the first time, everything seemed to fall into place. Danica was our beautiful, perfect little girl, and I felt a rush of love unlike anything I'd ever known before.

Our other children—Destiny, Gunner, Tyanah, CJ, Chasey, Cole, and Gracie—were over the moon about the new addition to our family. I could see the excitement in their eyes as they gathered around Danica, taking turns holding her, talking to her, and cooing at her.

They had all been so supportive throughout the pregnancy, and now that she was here, they couldn't wait to be the best big brothers and sisters they could be. Destiny and Gunner, especially, were so proud to be her older siblings. It was a beautiful thing to witness, seeing them take on this new role with such enthusiasm and love.

Joelle, our granddaughter, didn't quite understand why Grandma Chiara had a baby. She was only a toddler at the time, and trying to explain the concept of a new sibling was a bit of a challenge. But she could see the attention Danica was getting, and like the rest of us, she was excited to have a new little one in the family.

Joelle's eyes would light up every time she saw Danica, and she'd gently pat her little sister's head, calling her "baby." It was innocent, sweet, and full of love.

Chiara and I had always dreamed of having a big, loving family, and with Danica's arrival, we felt like we had everything we could possibly need. We were happy, and for the most part, life felt like it was moving smoothly. But, as it always goes, things in my world were about to get much more complicated.

That summer, wrestling was calling me back. It had been a bit of a break from the regular grind, but now I was gearing up for a new rivalry that would soon take over the headlines.

On August 15, 2010, at SummerSlam, I returned to the ring to confront Kane and Rey Mysterio. What was supposed to be a dramatic and intense storyline quickly turned into something much more painful. After my confrontation with Kane, I found myself on the receiving end of a Tombstone Piledriver.

As I lay there, feeling the effects of the impact, something inside me told me this feud wasn't going to be easy. It wasn't just a regular rivalry—it was personal.

It was only after the fact that I learned Kane had been the one behind the attack. That revelation sent shockwaves through me. Kane had always been my half-brother, but the truth was that the two of us had never had the easiest relationship. It seemed like every time we were on opposite sides of something, it turned into a blood feud. This time, however, it wasn't just about family animosity; this time, it was about the World Heavyweight Championship.

The next few months were a blur of intense matches, physical punishment, and mental warfare. Kane and I went back and forth over the title. There were some brutal moments in the ring. I felt every bruise, every ache, but I kept pushing forward. I couldn't back down, especially with the championship on the line. I had worked so hard for it, and the thought of losing it to Kane—again—was too much to bear.

But as the months went on, the story took even more twists and turns. At Night of Champions on September 19, I found myself face-to-face with Kane in a No Holds Barred match. It was everything I had been building toward. It was supposed to be the final chapter in this brutal feud. But in the end, Kane came out victorious, and I was left lying in the ring, defeated.

I won't lie—I felt like a failure. Losing in such a high-stakes match, especially to Kane, stung. But as I lay there, trying to catch my breath, I realized that I wasn't done yet. I wasn't going to let this defeat define me. I still had a fight left in me.

Then, something unexpected happened. Paul Bearer, who had been a significant part of my career in the past, returned as my manager on the September 24 episode of *SmackDown*. I couldn't believe it when he walked down that ramp, standing by my side once again. Paul Bearer and I had been through a lot together, and having him back felt like a familiar comfort, a reminder that I wasn't in this alone.

But just as quickly as Paul Bearer had returned to my corner, he turned on me. At Hell in a Cell on October 3, I found myself once again facing Kane in one of the most intense matchups of our careers. I had hoped for a victory, for some closure, but instead, Bearer's betrayal helped Kane win again. It was a bitter pill to swallow.

Everything felt like it was falling apart. I'd lost again to Kane, and this time, Bearer had gone against me, helping my brother claim victory in one of the most vicious match types in wrestling. It wasn't just a match anymore—it was about trust, betrayal, and family, and I was left standing there, wondering where everything had gone wrong.

By the time Bragging Rights came around on October 24, I knew I was in for another tough night. I didn't realize it at the time, but that night would mark the end of my singles feud with Kane. I had one last shot at redemption in a Buried Alive match, but the odds were stacked against me.

The Nexus—this faction of wrestlers—got involved, tipping the scales in Kane's favor once again. The match was brutal, and it wasn't just about the physical toll it took on me; it was about the emotional exhaustion. I had poured everything into this feud, only to lose in the end.

That was it. My feud with Kane was over. And, as it turned out, my body wasn't going to let me continue without taking a break. I had torn my rotator cuff during one of the matches, and the injury was severe enough that I needed surgery. It was a blow to my pride and to my career, but at the same time, I knew that this was my body telling me it needed rest.

For the first time in a long time, I had to step away from the ring. That was hard. Wrestling had always been my life—my passion, my purpose—but there was something else that had always mattered just as much, if not more: my family. With the surgery ahead of me, I knew it was time to step back, regroup, and focus on the people who meant the most to me.

Chiara, the kids, and even Joelle, who had been a bundle of joy and laughter through it all, were there to support me. The months of recovery gave me a chance to be more present at home, to spend time with my children and my wife in a way I hadn't been able to for a while. It was a strange feeling, but it was also kind of refreshing. I'd spent so many years on the road, in the ring, giving everything to the business. And now, with Chiara by my side, and the kids growing up so fast, I realized just how important this time off was.

I spent my days resting, recovering, but also relishing in the time with Chiara and our kids. I watched them play, help take care of Danica, and get excited about the new addition to our family. It was a reminder that no matter what I'd been through in the ring, what really mattered was the family I'd built outside of it.

Danica was just a baby when all of this happened, but she brought so much joy into our lives. It was impossible not to smile when I saw Chiara cradling her in her arms, or when Destiny and Gunner took turns helping feed her or making her laugh. Joelle was getting older, understanding more and more, and she would come over to visit and sit next to me, asking me questions about why I wasn't wrestling. It was a different life, but it was one I was more than happy to embrace.

Those months off, though difficult, brought me closer to my family than I'd been in years. I could look back on everything—on the highs and lows, on the matches I'd won and the ones I'd lost—and realize that, in the end, family was the thing that made it all worthwhile.

As I recovered from my surgery, I knew that my career wasn't over—not by a long shot. But for now, I was focused on what mattered most: being a father, a husband, and a grandfather. With Chiara and our kids by my side, I had everything I needed to face whatever came next.