Independent wrestler Joseph Alexander is feeling grateful to be alive after a scary car fire left him stranded in Virginia and destroyed almost all of the wrestling merchandise he was carrying for AEW extra work and indie shows this week.
Alexander, who wrestles as “A-Game,” shared the story on X. He admitted that he was unsure about talking publicly about the situation at first but eventually decided to open up after realizing how much financial damage the incident caused.
Joseph Says His Merchandise Was Destroyed In The Fire
According to Alexander, the fire happened on Tuesday while he was driving through Virginia in his father’s car. It seemed like a normal trip until he heard a strange noise coming from the vehicle. Soon after, smoke started filling the car before it suddenly caught fire while he was still inside.
Thankfully, Alexander was able to get out safely before the fire got worse. He escaped without any physical injuries, but the emotional and financial impact has been tough to deal with.
The next day, Alexander realized that almost all of the merchandise he packed for upcoming wrestling appearances had been destroyed in the fire. It forced him to ask for help from fans.
“When I got home yesterday and saw all the damages I seen mainly all my merch was destroyed, 8x10s, cards, stickers and most of my shirts.
As you know this stuff is very expensive and I just genuinely do not have all the funds to just whip up a new set of shirts and merch instantly. However I have about 6 shirts left (select sizes) completely untouched and I washed them to rid of the smell of smoke. I’d love to send them out to whoever wants them. Below I’ll leave my cashapp for any donations which would be greatly appreciated you don’t understand,” he wrote.
For many indie wrestlers, merchandise sales are a major source of income, especially while working smaller promotions or doing extra work for bigger companies. Replacing that inventory is expensive, and Alexander cannot afford to rebuild everything immediately.
Because of the fire, he also had to miss some wrestling opportunities this weekend, including AEW extra work and other independent bookings. However, Alexander stayed positive about the situation.
“First and foremost I want to thank my lord and savior Jesus Christ for making sure I was safe unharmed and walked away alive. I hope there’s more opportunities to come with AEW and the other shows I would have done this weekend, but I am just grateful for my health,” Alexander shared.
Alexander has been wrestling since 2021 and regularly works for Wrestling Open and several promotions around New England.
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