A DYING FATHER

A BELOVED SON

INFINITELY BONDED

THIS IS THE EMOTIONAL STORY OF LOVE

CONNECTION AND THE BLESSED LIVES

THEY LIVED IN THE SHADOWS OF LEGENDS.

DAVID SAHADI is an award-winning Creative Director and writer who has directed nearly 1,000 television shows for WWE and TNA Entertainment. He is best known for his work as a Creative Executive at WWE, where he conceived, wrote, produced and launched ambitious creative and marketing campaigns in the legendary “Attitude Era”.  that helped launch WWE into a global entertainment phenomenon. David has also directed over 300 national commercials as well, three of which aired in the Super Bowl. He has earned 27 PROMAX Gold Medallion Awards as well as a National Sports Emmy.

Synopsis

Lou Sahadi was born into a life of adversity, but he overcame it. For twenty years, Lou was a successful magazine publisher, and then wrote thirty-one acclaimed sports books. Lou loved sports. Lou also absolutely adored his son.

David Sahadi landed his first job at NBC Sports when he was just twenty-three. His love and passion for the sports industry combined with Lou’s connections opened doors. With his guidance, David became an Emmy-Award winning television producer and director. He has been honored to receive 27 PROMAX Gold Medallion Awards. And though many believe the son became more famous than his father, there was never an ounce of envy. Lou was simply so proud and in awe of the son he loved and guided.  

At eight, David met Cassius Clay at the Fountainbleu Hotel. Lou was interviewing him.  As David boarded a plane the following day, there he was. With immediate recognition, Clay vaulted him up onto his lap, telling the flight attendant, “He’s sitting with me.”

At thirteen, Lou ushered his scrawny kid David into the locker room at Shea Stadium. The New Orleans St. beat the Jets. Payton and Eli Manning’s dad Archie who was the NFL’s best quarterback at the time. Archie at over 220 lbs handed David his sweaty t-shirt from the game. It must have weighed ten lbs. David would wear that over-sized shirt for ten years.

When Lou was sixty-eight, the tables turned. David was working for the WWE and Lou showed up at one of his son’s shoots in South Beach. Lou met The Rock. The connection was instantaneous.  David made Lou an extra in the commercial, with his new found friend, The Rock.

Adversity found Lou on August 30th, 2020, after suffering a horrific fall. Cracking his skull and causing severe brain trauma, with the doctors saying he had only an 8 percent chance of survival. Miraculously, through boundless love and Lou’s unrelenting determination to stay alive for his five children, Lou made a full recovery. 

Lou lived another two-and-a-half years before succumbing. David knew that Lou hung on because of his five children. David was with him that day. David kissed Lou’s lifeless forehead after his last breath was released into the ethers, torrents of tears rolling down his swollen cheeks, and said, “I love you so much Poppa. And don’t worry about your children. They are my children now, and I will take care of them.”

This book is Lou’s story. David’s story.  The story of “My Dad, My Dying Sun.”

“David Sahadi is a creative genius.  

His writings, his words touched millions of people on a deeply emotional and visceral level. His vision completely changed the world of sports entertainment.”

-“The Rock”, WWE Hall-Of-Famer

Foreword

 by Mike Tenay

From a young age I was fascinated by sports. All sports. Anything to do with sports. When I discovered the Los Angeles Times sports section it was a difference maker. From the time I was 6 years old, my dad would wake me up every single morning of my youth by simply dropping The Times sports page on my chest. I was immediately awake and ready to devour it. From the headlines to the agate page it was my life blood.

I soon became aware of sports magazines and books and my dad would religiously take me to newsstands and book stores all over Southern California.

I guess I was different from most kids because when I would read about the teams, athletes and personalities, I found my focus was equally on the individual who had written the story or book, as much as the subject.

While I had my favorite sports stars I also had my favorite writers and authors. One name that immediately caught my eye was Lou Sahadi. Not only did I enjoy his writing style, but I was equally impressed by his diverse subject matter. His byline was not only in baseball and football magazines, but also professional wrestling, which was becoming a passion of mine. I fantasized that Lou Sahadi must live an incredible life. He was interviewing and writing about Willie Mays, Johnny Unitas and the fire throwing villain The Sheik all in the same week.

I was so impressed by Lou’s work, that I started publishing my own wrestling newsletter at the age of 11. I became my high school newspaper sports editor and I eventually hosted wrestling shows on radio and television for decades.

One day, in 2004, while working as a TV announcer for TNA Impact Wrestling, a new producer was introduced to the crew during a production meeting in Nashville, Tennessee. I immediately recognized his name since David Sahadi had already gained a reputation as someone who had produced creative and groundbreaking video features for the World Wrestling Federation.

When I introduced myself to David that day, the very first thing I said was, “Damn, you’re the son of the legendary Lou Sahadi!”

Our friendship was instant, much of it built by the respect and admiration I had for his dad.

It wasn’t long before I finally met Lou, some 30 plus years after I was influenced by his writing.

David and I would frequently have the best steak dinners together, but they were always taken to another level when he invited Lou to join us. Lou’s love of sharing his memories combined with his enthusiastic personality made each dinner so entertaining and memorable.

I would toss out the names of the famous and the infamous and Lou would respond with detailed, first hand stories that always amused. He never disappointed.

He once greeted me with a spirited and booming “All the way with Mike Tenay”, a welcome that he incorporated into every one of our dinners and conversations going forward.

Because of the immensely close relationship that David shared with his dad, I was able to witness first-hand the love, respect and support that both equally gave the other. It was a friendship that you had to see to believe. It was always mutual and emotional. I still have the mental image and I still can visualize the bond between father and son.

On February 15, 2023, we lost Lou Sahadi. I immediately grabbed my phone and tweeted out my first thought …

“When I was a kid, I didn’t want to be Sandy Koufax, I wanted to be Lou Sahadi.”

-Mike Tenay, “Hall-of-Fame” announcer