August the 25th of 2011 saw the passing, at the age of 69, of a genuine legend of the sport
of women’s wrestling. And while Donna Christantello had not set foot in a ring for battle
in two decades, her legend and her legacy had not dimmed with the passage of time.
Others can perhaps more adequately share and detail her tremendous career... the years with
the Fabulous Moolah’s stable of talent, the sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden, the
tours of Japan, and above all the historic title reigns she enjoyed with Toni Rose, when
the two of them formed what remains perhaps the greatest tag team in women’s professional
wrestling to this date.
But what some of her friends would like to do is briefly discuss Donna the woman... the
opponent... the mentor... the friend.
LadySports Online is proud to offer them a forum to share their thoughts about this
amazing woman.
SUSAN GREEN:
Donna, what can I say...? In the ring she would take you to your limit. Out of the ring,
she was a friend who would help a stranger if they needed it.
After she moved back to Pennsylvania, I did not get to talk to her as often as I would
have liked, as it always seemed I was calling her when she was going into work.
Donna was one of the few women that I travel around the world with and enjoyed being on
the road with. Guess my road story with Donna is she learned to like country music riding
with me, as she learned I was "Country to the bone," as she once told me. Donna my friend,
I will miss you and until we meet again... you will always be in my heart.
Rest in Peace,
Tex.
JUDY MARTIN:
Donna really was great in the ring. I remember she and I had a trip to Trinidad, and I got stuck
because my passport was about to expire. She went on to the arena, and I didn't get my passport
straightened out and down to the matches until the main event was ending. I rushed out to the
ring and I told her I was only doing five minutes, 'cause that was all I had left in me after that
ordeal. As she was pinning me, I heard her say "I thought you were kidding".
We still had a really good five minute match!
Donna, you will be missed dearly by your wrestling family. RIP, my friend.
PRINCESS VICTORIA:
Donna was like a second mother to me and most of the girls. If you had a problem, you talked to her.
If you were sick, she came to take care of you. If you were stuck on a move, she was the most likely
person to walk you through it and figure it out. She was my roomie for two years or better, and
there is a hole in my heart that will not be filled.
She always had a smile for everyone. I remember her laughing like crazy when my grandmother
came to visit and caught better than fifty fish sitting on our back porch. I had, as she said,
been baiting them, because I always threw out food that had gone bad into the pond right there
at our back porch. All you had to do was cast a shadow over the water and here came fish,
turtles and frogs like they were pets.
She had a heart the size of Texas. As a certain actor use to say: Baby... she was the greatest!!!!
VIVIAN ST. JOHN:
The most vivid memory I have of Donna is, when no one else would even talk to me, she would patiently
explain to me what I had done the night before. And her door was always open. She wasn't judgmental,
and I considered her a friend.
BEVERLY SHADE:
Just a short note to honor Donna. I worked with her quite a few times in Florida, Trinidad and Barbados.
She was a great worker and a very special person, and I will miss her a lot. Rest in peace, my friend.
SABRINA:
Donna was a champion in the ring and in life. I am honored to have had her as a wrestling coach, and as
a friend. Every morning and afternoon she was in the gym, helping us to obtain our goal of becoming a
pro wrestler.
Above that she was a kind, spirited mentor and mom to the younger girls. I remember having the flu, and
she is the one that was cooling my head with a cloth, giving me meds and making sure I had liquids.
Donna touched the lives of many people, fans and peers. RIP Donna... thank you, and love ya!
JOYCE GRABLE:
Yes, Donna was a true friend. She would give you anything if in need. My best matches as a babyface was
against her and Toni Rose. They trained me in how to be a good wrestler. I had fun with her. We never
had a fuss and were on the road for six months at a time. She was a dear friend and will be missed by all.
Rest in peace.
DEBBIE JOHNSON:
I had my very first singles match against Donna. I was terrified, but she was awesome... as usual... and she
got me through it.
Donna and I may not have seen eye to eye on some things, but I loved her as a friend and a sister of
the ring.
May the angels hold you close, Donna....rest in peace, my friend.
LEILANI KAI:
Donna and I were roommates for three years, and I remember one time when we were broke... well, nothing new
about that, ha ha!
Anyway, we were cleaning the kitchen, and in the food cabinet we found a roll of twenty dollar bills, stuck
in a hole right in the corner! I remember, we had to pay our electric and phone bills, and we had no money.
But this wad was $380.00 dollars, and a previous tenant had forgotten it!
We sat in the kitchen thinking, "Is this a trick? Do we keep it, or should we report this to the main office?"
Well, good old honest Donna said "Let’s report it," and we did... and they told us to keep it! So, we were able
to pay our utilities and we bought food, and everyone was happy.
Donna was always good to me... I will miss her!
