Already enshrined in the WWE Hall of Fame in 2007 before his untimely death in June 2015, Dusty Rhodes has now been immortalized once more.
During the WrestleMania Axxess fan festival in Dallas on Thursday, WWE presented his sons, Dustin Rhodes (Goldust) and Cody Rhodes (Stardust), and the entire Rhodes family with a life-sized bronze statue of the "American Dream."
"It's been a tough year for our family," Dustin said after the statue's unveiling in Dallas, as reported by WrestlingInc.com. "Dad was an amazing man, but to us he was just 'Pops.' And he was a common man who became 'The American Dream' because he had a dream and he captured his dream. I want to say thank you to the fans who supported our father one hundred and ten percent over the years and continue to support Cody and myself."
He added in true Dusty Rhodes spirit: "Right now, I can guarantee you Dad is in Heaven getting funky like a monkey with the angels, looking down, very proud of all this."
Cody was especially touched by the moment.
"Dusty Rhodes was famous for talking but he was a hell of a listener," Cody said, as reported by WrestlingInc.com. "If you come to this statue, take a picture. Don't be shy. Talk to him. Tell him how your day is going. Tell him who you think is going to win at WrestleMania. Tell him everything, because I have to believe that this special group of people that comes to WrestleMania, comes to Axxess, comes to NXT, people that love sports-entertainment, that echoes in heaven and earth."
Of course, Dusty's impact as a legendary pro-wrestler reverberates through WWE's entire roster, with the company's World Heavyweight champion Triple H saying he "looked to him as a mentor and an inspiration and a creative force behind the scenes."
The "American Dream" would be proud to know that both of his sons will be performing at WrestleMania 32 on Sunday night at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with Goldust slated to participate in the third-annual Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal and Stardust to take part in the seven-man ladder match for the Intercontinental title.
