Danny Havoc, also known as Grant Berkland, was a professional wrestler who was best known for his hardcore and deathmatch style. He was a star of Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW) and Game Changer Wrestling (GCW), where he won several championships and tournaments. He was also an inspiration and a friend to many in the wrestling community. However, his life was cut short at the age of 34, just two months after his wife Brianne Morrow died of heart failure. What was the cause of Danny Havoc’s death and how did he cope with the loss of his beloved partner?
Contents
A Passionate and Talented Wrestler
Danny Havoc was born on May 19, 1986, in Cylinder, Iowa. He grew up watching wrestling tapes and practicing with his friends in his family’s barn. He was especially drawn to the extreme and violent style of CZW, which he attended as a fan in 2004. He decided to pursue his dream of becoming a wrestler and moved to Philadelphia to train at the CZW Academy. He made his debut in 2005 at the Tournament of Death 4, where he was set on fire by another wrestler. He quickly established himself as one of the most fearless and innovative performers in the deathmatch scene.
He won the CZW World Junior Heavyweight Championship in 2006 and went on to win the CZW Ultraviolent Underground Championship twice, the CZW World Tag Team Championship twice, and the Tournament of Death twice. He also wrestled for other promotions such as GCW, Big Japan Pro Wrestling (BJW), Westside Xtreme Wrestling (wXw), IWA Mid-South, IWA East Coast, and IWA Deep-South. He was known for his technical skills, his creativity, and his willingness to take risks and endure pain for the sake of entertainment.
He retired from wrestling in 2017 after a farewell match against SHLAK at GCW’s The Art of War. He said that he wanted to focus on his personal life and his artistic pursuits, such as drawing and painting. He also appeared on an episode of The Wrestlers, a documentary series that explored the subcultures of wrestling around the world.
A Tragic Loss of His Wife
Danny Havoc married Brianne Morrow in 2018. They had been together for over a decade and shared a love for music, art, and animals. They lived in Barrington, New Jersey, with their three cats and two dogs. Brianne was a nurse who worked at a hospital and cared for COVID-19 patients. She was also a singer and a songwriter who performed under the name Bri Havoc.
On April 4, 2020, Brianne died of heart failure at the age of 33. She had been suffering from a heart condition for several years and had undergone multiple surgeries. Danny Havoc was devastated by her death and posted a heartfelt tribute to her on social media. He wrote:
“She was my best friend in the whole world, my rock who supported me through everything I ever did or tried to do…She was so talented as an artist herself…She had so much love for everyone she met…She made me laugh like no one else ever could…She was my soulmate.”
He also thanked everyone who supported him during this difficult time and asked for privacy and respect.
A Mysterious Death
Two months after Brianne’s death, Danny Havoc passed away on May 31, 2020. The cause of his death was not revealed by his family or friends, but it was reported that he died at his home in New Jersey. His death shocked and saddened the wrestling world, which paid tribute to him on social media and in various shows.
GCW announced his death on Twitter and wrote:
“With a broken heart, the GCW family mourns the loss of Grant Berkland aka Danny Havoc. Danny was an incredibly talented, intelligent, caring & genuine person. He was also an elite performer that entertained a generation of fans & inspired a generation of aspiring performers.”
CZW also expressed its condolences and wrote:
“This cuts too deep. Grant ‘Danny Havoc’ Berkland. He was an inspiration to so many and a friend to all and our hearts go out to his family and loved ones. We can take a small comfort in knowing the entire wrestling community are sharing the same grief right now.”
Many wrestlers who knew or worked with Danny Havoc shared their memories and appreciation for him. Some of them were Kevin Owens, Drew Gulak, Sami Callihan, Jon Moxley, Matt Tremont, Nick Gage, Jimmy Havoc, Alex Colon, Rickey Shane Page, Masada, Drake Younger, Necro Butcher, Joey Janela, Chris Dickinson, Effy, and many more.
They praised his passion, his talent, his kindness, his humor, and his courage. They also expressed their sorrow for his loss and their hope that he was reunited with his wife in a better place.
A Legacy of Havoc
Danny Havoc was a wrestler who lived up to his name. He wreaked havoc in the ring with his death-defying stunts and his hardcore matches. He also created havoc in the hearts of his fans and peers with his charisma and his personality. He was a legend of the deathmatch genre and a pioneer of the art form. He was a man who loved his wife, his family, his friends, and his animals. He was a man who faced tragedy and adversity with strength and grace.
He may be gone, but he will never be forgotten. His legacy will live on in the memories of those who knew him and in the history of wrestling. He will always be Danny Havoc, the Deathmatch Drunkard, the King of the Deathmatches, the Havoc Death Machine.
