We’d love to say that will be the day that a cure for autism will be found,
but that would be hoping for too much. But along those lines, at least we
will be able to say that, through the generosity of fans and the North Carolina
Wrestling Association, money will be raised for the Autism Society of North
Carolina, and that public awareness of autism will be raised, if ever so slightly.
No, the history that will be made is when Addy Miller steps into the ring to wrestle.
Addy is an actress who has become a horror icon with her small but startling role
in the very first episode of AMC’S “The Walking Dead”. The producers of the smash
hit show have gone on record as saying that Addy’s scene helped set the whole
successful tone for the entire series.
A celebrity stepping into the ring is hardly a new phenomenon. What makes
this instance both remarkable and historic is that Addy is a mere 12 years old.
By all verified accounts, she will be the youngest female professional
wrestler in American history!
The roots of this incredible development go back several months, to the 4th
Annual Ivan Koloff Tag Team Tournament, hosted by the NCWA in February. Addy, a
North Carolina native, was invited to attend as a celebrity guest.
During the match between Louis Moore and George South versus Jerry Lawler and
Jimi Love, the referee was accidentally knocked unconscious and unable to count
when Lawler pinned South to the mat.
Acting on the spur of the moment, Addy ran into the ring and counted 1… 2… 3,
declaring Lawler and Love the winners! As one might expect, this did not sit well
with George South and, in particular, his partner. Moore was incensed
at Miller’s “interference”, screaming at her in full fury. Now, most young
girls in her position would have every right to be terrified, but Addy is already
enough of a Hollywood veteran that she doesn’t scare easily. Indeed, she not
only stood her ground, she got physical! A sudden pair of clotheslines from
the ‘tween took Moore entirely by surprise, and down he went to the canvas…
much to the amusement of Jerry Lawler, Jimi Love, and the capacity
crowd in attendance.
Mortified by his comeuppance, Louis Moore probably didn’t give much thought
to his response before angrily acting on it… he challenged Addy to an official
match, vowing to “take her to the woodshed”!!
(www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWARK4RMF-I&feature=plcp) And just as astonishingly,
Addy agreed to fight him! Of course, she were some stipulations: rather than a
one-on-one match, it would be a Six Person Tag Match, allowing Addy to
team with two experienced male wrestlers against Louis and his two partners.
Just as importantly, the entire show would be a fundraiser for her favorite charity,
the Autism Society. It’s an endeavor that’s near and dear to her heart. As she
explains, “Not only do I live with two little brothers that have autism, but I
have worked at ASNC’s Camp Royall with people of all ages, and they are smart, funny,
and so loving. But these kids and adults need a lot of help just to get through
each day. It affects the whole family.”
The match booked, Addy now needed to find two partners. Luckily, she didn’t have
to look very long. “I had help from the NCWA,” she says. “I went to their office,
and they suggested Ricky Morton and Shane Helms. When I asked Ricky and Shane, they
were all for it because this isn’t just a wrestling match… we are also raising money.
Both of them are amazing in wanting to help me with my charity!”
“Hurricane” Shane Helms, a former WWE and WCW superstar, is one of the most
formidable men in indy wrestling today, while “Rock ‘n Roll” Ricky Morton is, of
course, a true legend of the sport. But they have their work cut out for them, for
Louis Moore is bringing in the brutal Matt Houston and C.W. Anderson as his partners.
On paper, at least, this looks to have the makings of a potential debacle for Team Addy,
as it essentially breaks down into a three-versus-two scenario, as no one expects 12
year old Addy to actually step between the ropes during the match to fight these behemoths.
But it turns out that playing it safe is not the game plan. Reportedly, Miller has
been avidly training for months for this night, in between her many acting assignments
(she’ll be appearing in a half-dozen or so film projects in 2013!). “I have been training,”
she says with pride. “I want people to know I am taking this seriously.
Yes, I will step in the ring and be a part of it. I kinda see this as one of my films…
I just need to be prepared. Most of my training is physical, but some of it is mental.
I am trying to see it like stunt training for a movie, which I have done before.
The more I know, the less I will get hurt.”
This is not to say, of course, that Addy is going to be the first member of her
team in the ring to kick off the match. Rather, she should be considered their
‘secret weapon’, to be used at only the right time. “Shane
and Ricky are going to protect me and they won’t let me be put in a dangerous
situation. I know that, and it makes me feel better. But I also don’t want to let
them down. To be honest, I am a little nervous… I’m not as
big and strong as the guys. But sometimes you don’t have to be the strongest, j
ust the smartest.”
Perhaps not as strong physically, but she has already displayed an ironclad courage
that is the envy of the most seasoned ring pro, and never more so than recently, when
Moore sought to ambush Addy and intimidate her, no doubt hoping to rattle her enough so
that she drops out of the match. He found her at a convention where she was a special
guest, and he began berating and bullying her. However, rather than being afraid, the young
blonde held her ground, and even landed a big slap across the startled face of her rival!
Security then ejected him from the premises, his plot to terrify the youngster a humiliating
flop. If anything, it invigorated her even more for the battle to come: “Louis Moore does
not scare me! I’ve embarrassed him before in the ring, and I will do it again,”
she avows. Have a look…HERE on YouTubeCome what may this Saturday, Addy knows that in the long run, the true victory will go
toward autism research, treatment and awareness. And she’s not really concerned whether
or not fans leave the arena remembering the messenger so much as the message. “What
would I like people to take away with them after the event? Awareness that with patience,
therapy and understanding, things can improve. And that by attending the event, they are
helping and it means a lot to us! I also hope Saturday night is a fun time for everyone,
with or without autism.”
And when all is said and done and the dust settles after Saturday night, does this
rising film starlet envision ever putting all of this wrestling training to work again
someday in the future? With a coy smile, she will only say, “Maybe… you never know.”
(The NCWA’s “Headlock on Autism” will be held at the Clayton Fitness Center, 1370 Cameron
Way in Clayton, NC.
A ‘meet and greet’ will be held from 4 until 6 PM, and belltime is at 7 PM. Also attending
the event as a special guest will be Alex Vincent, the star of “Child’s Play I & II”.)
For more information on “Headlock on Autism”, please visitmidatlanticgateway.com/ncwa.htmandFacebook.com/HeadlockOnAutismThe Addy Miller Fan Page can be found atFacebook.com/AddyMillerFanPage,
and her Twitter is at@TheAddyMillerFor more details on the ASNC or to make a donation, please go toautismsociety-nc.org
We’d love to say that will be the day that a cure for autism will be found,
but that would be hoping for too much. But along those lines, at least we
will be able to say that, through the generosity of fans and the North Carolina
Wrestling Association, money will be raised for the Autism Society of North
Carolina, and that public awareness of autism will be raised, if ever so slightly.
No, the history that will be made is when Addy Miller steps into the ring to wrestle.
Addy is an actress who has become a horror icon with her small but startling role
in the very first episode of AMC’S “The Walking Dead”. The producers of the smash
hit show have gone on record as saying that Addy’s scene helped set the whole
successful tone for the entire series.
A celebrity stepping into the ring is hardly a new phenomenon. What makes
this instance both remarkable and historic is that Addy is a mere 12 years old.
By all verified accounts, she will be the youngest female professional
wrestler in American history!
The roots of this incredible development go back several months, to the 4th
Annual Ivan Koloff Tag Team Tournament, hosted by the NCWA in February. Addy, a
North Carolina native, was invited to attend as a celebrity guest.
During the match between Louis Moore and George South versus Jerry Lawler and
Jimi Love, the referee was accidentally knocked unconscious and unable to count
when Lawler pinned South to the mat.
Acting on the spur of the moment, Addy ran into the ring and counted 1… 2… 3,
declaring Lawler and Love the winners! As one might expect, this did not sit well
with George South and, in particular, his partner. Moore was incensed
at Miller’s “interference”, screaming at her in full fury. Now, most young
girls in her position would have every right to be terrified, but Addy is already
enough of a Hollywood veteran that she doesn’t scare easily. Indeed, she not
only stood her ground, she got physical! A sudden pair of clotheslines from
the ‘tween took Moore entirely by surprise, and down he went to the canvas…
much to the amusement of Jerry Lawler, Jimi Love, and the capacity
crowd in attendance.
Mortified by his comeuppance, Louis Moore probably didn’t give much thought
to his response before angrily acting on it… he challenged Addy to an official
match, vowing to “take her to the woodshed”!!
(www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWARK4RMF-I&feature=plcp) And just as astonishingly,
Addy agreed to fight him! Of course, she were some stipulations: rather than a
one-on-one match, it would be a Six Person Tag Match, allowing Addy to
team with two experienced male wrestlers against Louis and his two partners.
Just as importantly, the entire show would be a fundraiser for her favorite charity,
the Autism Society. It’s an endeavor that’s near and dear to her heart. As she
explains, “Not only do I live with two little brothers that have autism, but I
have worked at ASNC’s Camp Royall with people of all ages, and they are smart, funny,
and so loving. But these kids and adults need a lot of help just to get through
each day. It affects the whole family.”
The match booked, Addy now needed to find two partners. Luckily, she didn’t have
to look very long. “I had help from the NCWA,” she says. “I went to their office,
and they suggested Ricky Morton and Shane Helms. When I asked Ricky and Shane, they
were all for it because this isn’t just a wrestling match… we are also raising money.
Both of them are amazing in wanting to help me with my charity!”
“Hurricane” Shane Helms, a former WWE and WCW superstar, is one of the most
formidable men in indy wrestling today, while “Rock ‘n Roll” Ricky Morton is, of
course, a true legend of the sport. But they have their work cut out for them, for
Louis Moore is bringing in the brutal Matt Houston and C.W. Anderson as his partners.
On paper, at least, this looks to have the makings of a potential debacle for Team Addy,
as it essentially breaks down into a three-versus-two scenario, as no one expects 12
year old Addy to actually step between the ropes during the match to fight these behemoths.
But it turns out that playing it safe is not the game plan. Reportedly, Miller has
been avidly training for months for this night, in between her many acting assignments
(she’ll be appearing in a half-dozen or so film projects in 2013!). “I have been training,”
she says with pride. “I want people to know I am taking this seriously.
Yes, I will step in the ring and be a part of it. I kinda see this as one of my films…
I just need to be prepared. Most of my training is physical, but some of it is mental.
I am trying to see it like stunt training for a movie, which I have done before.
The more I know, the less I will get hurt.”
This is not to say, of course, that Addy is going to be the first member of her
team in the ring to kick off the match. Rather, she should be considered their
‘secret weapon’, to be used at only the right time. “Shane
and Ricky are going to protect me and they won’t let me be put in a dangerous
situation. I know that, and it makes me feel better. But I also don’t want to let
them down. To be honest, I am a little nervous… I’m not as
big and strong as the guys. But sometimes you don’t have to be the strongest, j
ust the smartest.”
Perhaps not as strong physically, but she has already displayed an ironclad courage
that is the envy of the most seasoned ring pro, and never more so than recently, when
Moore sought to ambush Addy and intimidate her, no doubt hoping to rattle her enough so
that she drops out of the match. He found her at a convention where she was a special
guest, and he began berating and bullying her. However, rather than being afraid, the young
blonde held her ground, and even landed a big slap across the startled face of her rival!
Security then ejected him from the premises, his plot to terrify the youngster a humiliating
flop. If anything, it invigorated her even more for the battle to come: “Louis Moore does
not scare me! I’ve embarrassed him before in the ring, and I will do it again,”
she avows. Have a look… HERE on YouTube
Come what may this Saturday, Addy knows that in the long run, the true victory will go
toward autism research, treatment and awareness. And she’s not really concerned whether
or not fans leave the arena remembering the messenger so much as the message. “What
would I like people to take away with them after the event? Awareness that with patience,
therapy and understanding, things can improve. And that by attending the event, they are
helping and it means a lot to us! I also hope Saturday night is a fun time for everyone,
with or without autism.”
And when all is said and done and the dust settles after Saturday night, does this
rising film starlet envision ever putting all of this wrestling training to work again
someday in the future? With a coy smile, she will only say, “Maybe… you never know.”
(The NCWA’s “Headlock on Autism” will be held at the Clayton Fitness Center, 1370 Cameron
Way in Clayton, NC.
A ‘meet and greet’ will be held from 4 until 6 PM, and belltime is at 7 PM. Also attending
the event as a special guest will be Alex Vincent, the star of “Child’s Play I & II”.)
For more information on “Headlock on Autism”, please visit midatlanticgateway.com/ncwa.htm
and Facebook.com/HeadlockOnAutism
The Addy Miller Fan Page can be found at Facebook.com/AddyMillerFanPage,
and her Twitter is at @TheAddyMiller
For more details on the ASNC or to make a donation, please go to autismsociety-nc.org
