AEW commentator Tony Schiavone recently talked about the challenges the promotion faced when addressing Rebel’s terminal ALS diagnosis on television.
Rebel recently revealed she has been diagnosed with terminal ALS following health complications that began in 2024. Doctors initially discovered a mass in her lung after she was hospitalized, and she underwent several treatments and surgeries throughout 2025 before receiving the ALS diagnosis.
Tony Schiavone discussed the delicate balance of acknowledging the heartbreaking news while maintaining the show’s energy.
Speaking on his “What Happened When” podcast, Schiavone explained how the decision to address Rebel’s condition on air came about. He admitted he hadn’t stayed in close contact with her after she stopped appearing regularly.
“You know, once I don’t see you, I’m not really good at staying in touch with you, right? You know that, so, I didn’t stay in touch with her that well, and then I discovered that she had been very sick and now has AEW,” Schiavone said. “So, I thought it would be best for us to mention something about it.”
Finding the Right Moment
Schiavone revealed that he approached Tony Khan to acknowledge Rebel’s diagnosis after noticing signs in the audience supporting her. Khan immediately agreed it was the right call.
The commentator then worked with producer Josh Mathews to decide the appropriate placement during the broadcast. The challenge was finding a moment that wouldn’t diminish the show’s momentum.
“We were kind of wondering where to put this because it’s not a good story. It’s a downer, and where do you put it when you’re trying to hype up this guy and get excited about this person going to the ring? You don’t want to bring anything down,” Schiavone explained.
“So, we found a spot and we did it on camera, and I was sincere. It was from the heart. She’s a great personality, as you said. She was big for us on AdFreeShows. It’s a terrible story and it just that sometimes the best people have the unfortunate things happen to them. And she’s one of the good ones. She really is.”
The announcement has led to an outpouring of support from across the wrestling industry for Rebel.