Rocky DeLorme insisted, before passing away from cancer May 27, that any benefit for him include an aspect of health.
The standout Shawano Community High School wrestler, who went on to become a mixed martial arts fighter, was into physical fitness his entire life.
In keeping with his wishes, the Rocky DeLorme Memorial Benefit on July 20 will begin at 10 a.m. with a 5K walk/run.
Proceeds of the benefit will go to offset medical bills incurred during DeLorme’s 16-month fight against rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare form of cancer that usually occurs in children, and to help his family, which includes two daughters — Gabriella, 6, and Myla, 2.
The event will be hosted by Tim Mayer, who was DeLorme’s wrestling coach at SCHS, and Pebbles Peterson, a longtime family friend.
“He had a heart of gold,” Mayer said. “Every time he wrestled he’d give a kid a hug, he’d give them a handshake.”
DeLorme was a record-setting wrestler for SCHS, being only the second wrestler at the time to break the 100-win mark and finishing with a career record of 129-14. He made it to state twice, once his sophomore year and then again in his senior year, 2000, when he went 29-2.
“I never once saw him throw his headgear or anything like that,” Mayer said. “You get some kids, they get ticked off and you can’t talk to them for 10 minutes. Rock would come off and say, ‘I gave it a shot, I did my best.’ As a coach, I loved it. It was true sportsmanship.”
DeLorme also was a four-year letter winner in soccer and played baseball.
His fitness and wrestling experience helped DeLorme when he moved on to MMA and became a professional athlete, Mayer said.
“He was so physically fit and he had those wrestling skills,” Mayer said. “He had his little fancy spinning kick move and all that, but when it came down to it, he would rely on his wrestling skills. It’s hard for someone to punch you when you’ve got wrist control.”
DeLorme was also a talented artist who earned a degree in graphic arts from Northeast Wisconsin Technical College before switching to molecular biology and heading to Arizona State University.
Mayer talked to DeLorme a week before he died. DeLorme said he remembered what his former coach had taught him and assured Mayer that he was still fighting.
“There’s one thing I told him throughout his career,” Mayer said. “Never give up. Never quit. And he never did.”
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