“Family ain’t always blood, and blood ain’t always family.” – Tracy Smothers
Two words come to mind when I think of Tracy Smothers, and those words are not “dance contest.”
Okay, I think of “dance contest,” too but the words I mean are family and love.
No one had more love for wrestling and other people than Tracy. He gave so much of himself every night he was at a show. He was good to any kid who asked for a critique, and he put so many young wrestlers over in his latter years.
Some of those wrestlers truly became family. Jessie Belle was one of them. Spoiler alert: she’s not his real daughter, but if you doubt that family bond in the slightest, I refer you to the quote up top.
Whether you know her as Jessie Jones from WOW or Jessie Belle Smothers from the indies, there’s no denying the woman carries the legacy of Tracy Smothers with her. She’s a must-see on any card where she appears, and she’s done a lot behind the scenes for her own wrestling family.
Now, Jessie Belle needs help. She’s fighting a battle with cancer, and she’s facing it like a true Smothers, with both fists up and an iron will.
If you’re a fan, or just want to throw her some love, there’s a Go Fund Me set up to help Jessie with her medical expenses. It’s a great way to say thank you to her and even pay homage to Tracy.