WWE pays tribute to production employee Jim Shank after passing

At the end of Raw last night, WWE paid tribute to a beloved long-time employee who recently passed away.

Monday night’s show closed with a graphic honoring Jim Shank, who died at 60 years old on February 6 following a multi-year battle with colorectal cancer. Shank worked for WWE for more than 25 years and had been employed as the company’s Technical Operations Manager. He was known as “Shank” within WWE and was well-respected by his colleagues and the roster.

Near the end of his battle with cancer, a GoFundMe campaign raised more than $200,000 to help Shank pay for an emerging treatment they hoped would save his life. Vince McMahon, Kevin Owens, Randy Orton, Alexa Bliss, Cody Rhodes, Bruce Prichard, Chris Jericho, Rusev, and Shinsuke Nakamura were among the top donors.

“On Friday, the @WWE family lost a beloved member of its production crew,” Paul “Triple H” Levesque tweeted today. “Jim Shank was a fixture backstage and an incredible teammate, who helped create the magic of the live experience at WWE. My thoughts and those of our entire crew and talent roster are with his family at this time. It’s never goodbye…but see ya down the road.”

“Godspeed, Jim Shank,” Adam Pearce wrote. “WWE has many unsung heroes: Incredible men and women that perhaps aren’t seen on screen, yet truly make everything we do shine. Jim is unquestionably one of those, and has been a respected member of our family for years.

“I thank you, Jimmy… for your talents, your time, and most importantly, your friendship. Connections through Houston won’t ever be the same. Rest well, my friend.”

Shank first joined WWE in November 1999. He had just turned 60 years old on January 28.

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Joseph Currier
Joseph Currier

Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.

In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated's wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.