Johnny Gargano was riding high after clinching the WWE Tag Team Championships alongside his friend-turned-rival-turned-friend-again, Tommaso Ciampa. With SummerSlam just around the corner in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, life seemed perfect. That is, until disaster struck his family this week. Gargano’s father’s cherished establishment, Gargano’s Restaurant and Catering, suffered severe damage from a devastating fire.
On Monday, Gargano addressed the incident on X, formerly known as Twitter. He expressed his heartbreak over the tragic event, acknowledging the fans who had planned to visit the restaurant during SummerSlam weekend. Thankfully, his father was not present during the fire and remained unharmed.
“This is a crushing blow to our family,” Gargano shared. “My dad has poured his heart and soul into that restaurant for over 50 years. It’s been his life’s work, and it’s where I grew up. To see it all vanish in an instant is beyond words.”
Local reports painted a grim picture: the fire couldn’t have come at a worse time. Gargano’s father was on the cusp of selling the building, with plans to finalize the deal on Tuesday. Now, the building faces demolition, with damage estimates soaring over $700K. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.