Jimmy Rave’s Daughter Looks For Memorabilia

By
Jim LaMotta
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In December of last year, Jimmy Rave, a pro wrestling prodigy that broke into the business over two decades earlier, passed away. The 39-year-old grappler struggled with several health problems in the months prior to his death, including the amputation of his arm before further illness required the amputation of both legs. Online donations were given when he was attempting to recover from the initial amputation, with contributions from both wrestlers and fans. WWE Hall of Famer, Mick Foley even held a special signing that was able to raise funds for Rave’s medical costs.

Rave, in his all-too-short life, experienced the highs and lows that his profession had to offer. The sport took him from local VFW halls all the way to national television during his stint with TNA Wrestling. His ability in the ring even took him as far away as Japan, competing for New Japan’s Best of The Super Jr. tour in 2008. He also struggled with addiction, stemming from the injuries of the ring. Thankfully, Rave turned his life around and spent time as a counselor to help other deal with their own problems.

Still, Rave’s heart was always in the ring and a few years before his death, he took the position as the head trainer of the Combat Zone Wrestling academy. CZW, one of the longest-running independent groups in the United States, was based on Philadelphia, where Rave lived at the time of his passing.

Despite the sadness and grief many of his friends and fans endured after the real-life James Guffey passed away, the memories of Jimmy Rave were etched into the history of professional wrestling, as he was one of the most notable performers of his era.

Unfortunately, some of the items closely-tied to those memories went missing, including one of Jimmy Rave’s ring robes and a famous Ribera Steakhouse jacket that he was given upon his previously mentioned tour of Japan.

His daughter, Kailah Guffey has spent the time since her father’s passing attempting to locate the items as a way to preserve his legacy within her family. Kailah is a sixth grade math teacher that graduated from The University of West George with a degree in Elementary Education in 2020 before she obtained a Master’s degree there in the same field earlier this year. Similar to how her dad taught prospects the ropes, Kailah is a cheerleading coach and a favorite among students.

Kailah cites that much of her childhood was very much associated with her dad’s profession, prompting her to search online for anyone that might have information about where the jacket or robe are located.

“Growing up, I knew that every weekend, he would be on the road. I remember getting so excited when I would find out that he had an off weekend because it was a rarity. it was difficult at times when he was gone. We had a very close bond so I would always miss him. He always made time for me during the week after school when he was home. Sometimes it was difficult when he was on the other side of the world because with the difference in time zones, it would be difficult for me to be able to talk to him. There were times where he would purposely set an alarm during a late hour for him to be able to talk to me. My dad was very passionate about wrestling, and he loved to share that with me,” she explained.


In an effort to get the items found, Jade Chung, Rave’s valet during his memorable run as the crown jewel of The Embassy faction in Ring Of Honor, has offered several rewards for the return of the robe and jacket. One thousand dollars cash, signed ring-worn Josh Alexander gear, and other perks are included in the offer.


“I am so thankful for all the support,” Kailah said of those that have donated items for the reward.

A Georgia native, Kailah took a trip to Philadelphia after her dad’s death to collect some of his belongings, but the jacket or the robe weren’t found, with some speculation that the items might’ve been in a storage unit that Rave had before he relocated to the northeast. When she returned home and tracked down the unit, neither piece of memorabilia was there so her search continued.


“There are many people who are trying to say that my father sold the items, but he talked about the items months before he passed away because they were a priority to him. He didn’t sell them. As I conducted further research, I discovered that there are pictures and videos of my father wearing his Ribera Jacket in matches in PA. I think some people think that they are no help because they might not know specifically where the items are currently. If anyone knows any little details such as where they saw it last, it could lead to a huge discovery,” Kailah said.

So, Kailah still has the tasks to try to track down some of her dad’s memorabilia, and the rewards for the return of the ring robe and Ribera jacket are still offered. Still, Kailah remembers her dad for his passion for professional wrestling.

I” think we can all agree that he was underrated as a wrestler. He deserved more opportunities than what he was given in the wrestling world. His mind for wrestling and his ability to understand how to put together a match was of superior quality. He would want to be remembered as a helpful, encouraging, and a kind person. He would want everyone to remember the good memories of him and continue to do what is best in life and in the wrestling world. All he wanted was all of us to be happy and healthy,” she concluded.

If you have any information about the location of either item, you can contract Kailah on Twttier @kailahguffeyy
You can always contact Jade Chung @JadeChung11

What do you think? Share your thoughts, opinions, feedback, and anything else that was raised on Twitter @PWMania and Facebook.com/PWMania.

Until next week
-Jim LaMotta

E mail [email protected] | You can follow me on Twitter @jimlamotta

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