Erick Rowan: No Matter What, I Always Feel Brodie & Bray With Me

Erick Rowan Remembers

While not signed with AEW or WWE at the time of Lee or Rotunda's passing, Erick Rowan appeared on tribute shows for both men. During an appearance on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Rowan was asked how he was feeling. 

"I'm doing ok. It's obviously been rough for the wrestling world. It's just one of those things. And with the passing of John, Brodie it was a shock and then with Windham, it's like....you don't know where to start or begin. It's one of those things that, when you experience loss, it's like, you don't know how to react. And I still don't know how to react.

"No matter what I do, I always feel them with me, and wrestling's worse, I think. Because when I'm in the ring, I spent so much time with them, that when I do any show lately, I'm constantly reminded, either by just popping myself in the ring by doing a move and thinking of somebody yelling in the corner at me and laughing or the crowd reminding me. It's just one of those things...and keeping busy is my key to just kind of moving on. Concentrating on my family and myself."

While the constant reminders of his fallen friends may be difficult for Rowan at times, the former Superstar would rather be reminded than not remember his Wyatt family allies. 

"If I didn't remember, then what does that say? What kind of impact did these people have on me if I didn't remember? if I wasn't reminded? They obviously had a profound impact on me and my life. Me being reminded of it, it makes me kind of smile. You know what I mean? Just because I'm constantly reminded of them in my life, and what they meant to me. Whether it be what we went through together, the hardships, the good times, the laughs. Just from the feeling at the bottom to feeling at the top of the world. These are just all sorts of different memories that I don't think I ever want to forget."

Rowan was asked about how many nights he spent bonding with the pair and acknowledged that he often saw his Wyatt family more than his own family. 

"It's crazy to think about, especially back in 2012, 2013, when we debuted, it's like, you're on the road, literally 260+ days a year. You're seeing these people more than you're seeing your own family. And whether you like each other or you don't, you're stuck with each other. So you either learn to get along or your life's going to be miserable and luckily we all got along and as the years went by, our bonds got stronger.

"Man, when we were starting, it was literally Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday. Home for a day and a half and then back on the road. Then they'd do the European tours and that would be a month straight and then home for a couple of days and then back on the road constantly. It's crazy to think about."

Rowan hasn't competed for WWE in years but believes there is always an opportunity for a potential return. Click here to find out more. 

For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops.