The body of former WWE wrestler Shad Gaspard was found early Wednesday morning after he went missing over the weekend while swimming with his son in the ocean off Venice Beach.
Los Angeles County lifeguards rescued Gaspard's 10-year-old son on Sunday after the two got caught in a strong rip current, according to KTLA. Gaspard, 39, was last seen swimming about 50 yards from the beach at about 3:40 p.m. when a wave crashed over him, sweeping him out to sea.
"In his final act, Gaspard instructed lifeguards to save his son’s life," WWE said in a statement.
At about 1:25 a.m. Wednesday, someone alerted officers on patrol that a body had washed ashore on Venice Beach, the Los Angeles Police Department said. Officials identified the deceased as the former WWE star.
Lifeguards and the US Coast Guard had continued to search for Gaspard after rescuing his son, who was evaluated at the scene and did not need to be taken to the hospital. Officials suspended their search on Tuesday after their efforts were unable to locate him.
Gaspard was best known in professional wrestling as part of the Cryme Tyme duo with Jayson Anthony Paul, known as JTG, the company said. He appeared in WWE programs from 2006 to 2010 and also appeared in several TV shows and movies, including Brothers and Get Hard.
On Monday after Gaspard went missing, JTG shared a screenshot of a text message Gaspard sent him in January, saying he loves him as "a brother and friend for ever."
According to WWE, Gaspard played basketball at Georgia Perimeter College and, before joining the professional wrestling network, worked as a bodyguard for P. Diddy, Britney Spears, and Mike Tyson.