Search Efforts for Former WWE Star Shad Gaspard Suspended

The year 2020 has been an abiding bearer of gut-wrenching news, and the latest development is guaranteed to disconcert the WWE community.

On Sunday, former WWE star Shad Gaspard went missing after he was pulled out to sea by a violent riptide following a swim with his 10-year-old son at Venice Beach. Lifeguards did everything they could to rescue as many folks as possible. Though Gaspard's son was saved, the 39-year-old wrestler has yet to be located.

To make this development all the more crushing is the fact that the US Coast Guard has decided to suspend its search for him.

The original search party -- which featured lifeguards, rescue boats, divers, helicopters and paramedics on standby -- spanned nearly three hours.

According to TMZ, witnesses claimed that Gaspard instructed first responders to pull his son out of the water before they assisted him. However, it's been reported that several large waves crashed down on him, which forced him to submerge before they could reach him. That's the last time rescuers were able to spot him.

It'd be wrong to assume the worst, but the fact that the Coast Guard is suspending its rescue mission unfortunately says a lot about their lack of optimism to see this through.

In the meantime, we send our thoughts to Gaspard's family, who was present at the beach while the search was being conducted.