On November 13, 2005, WWE star Eddie Guerrero died of heart failure in his Minnesota hotel room, leaving behind a legacy as one of the industry's greats and, even more importantly, a loving father, husband, and brother to his family. With the 20-year anniversary of his passing fast approaching, ESPN writer Roberto Jose Andrade Franco sat down with various members of the Guerrero family, allowing them to publicly share their memories of the late performer.
Franco spoke to Eddie's sisters Maria and Linda, his brother Mando, and his daughters Sherilyn and Kaylie. Maria and Mando were older than Eddie, and both fondly recalled their youth in El Paso, Texas. According to Maria, some of the extended family initially believed that Eddie was actually her child because he was much younger than the other siblings, but that wasn't the case. She revealed that the family had a nickname for young Eddie: Ewis. Additionally, she stated that he intended to soon retire at the time of his death.
Mando, who was also a professional wrestler, referred to his late brother as "a natural." They didn't have the closest relationship for some years, as Eddie pulled away from most of his family while dealing with substance abuse addiction. However, Eddie was four years sober when he died at age 55. His sister Linda, whom he was closest in age with, had a tight-knit relationship with Eddie; one that was renewed when he fought off his demons in 2001.
"His last four years were beautiful," Linda Guerrero said. "He transformed back to my little brother."
Sherilyn Guerrero, who is now 30 years old, recently made the decision to follow in Eddie's footsteps by becoming a pro wrestler herself. She revealed that she dreams of her father several times a year, and it's always a pleasant visit. Though he was often on the road because of his career, Sherilyn remembers Eddie as "a great father." On a regular basis, Sherilyn is sent messages from fans, sharing their favorite moments of her father's wrestling career and letting her know the impact he left on them.
"His spirit is so alive," Sherilyn stated.
Like those fans, Eddie's youngest daughter, Kaylie, also finds comfort in classic footage of her father. Rather than rewatching his old matches, however, Kaylie prefers a lengthy "shoot" interview that remains online, in which Eddie comes across as his genuine self.
"It's like he left it as a time capsule for me," Kaylie told the outlet.
Just 3 years old when he died, Kaylie revealed that she has precious few memories of her father, but shared one that makes her laugh to this day. Kaylie recalled Eddie taking her and her older sisters Sherilyn and Shaul Guerrero to a grocery store. As the frazzled pro wrestler attempted to control his wild kids, Kaylie's sisters knocked the cart over, causing her to tumble onto the floor. Kaylie remembers the look on her father's face as passerbys stared with nosy interest.
"For some reason, that memory makes me laugh. ... He's just being an average dad going to the store. He's just trying to get what he needs, and his daughters are causing a scene."
