It seems like only once or twice in a lifetime, a truly extraordinary person comes along. Russ Haas (and his bother, Charlie) probably got more acclaim in the Pro Wrestling Illustrated family of magazines in recent years than any other rising stars. Those who had the chance to see the Haas brothers wrestle knew they deserved it To say that Russ was destined for greatness was an understatement. His dedication and determination showed that he had the mental makeup of a superstar. And if his ring work didn't prove it to you, his charisma did. Even more so, Russ had that intangible element of excellence that you don't see in too many budding stars.

Unfortunately, Russ never got the opportunity to show a national audience just how talented he was. He died in his sleep of a massive coronary caused by heart disease at his home in Cincinnati on December 15. The 27-year old had spent the previous night at a Heartland Wrestling Association Show in Springfield, Ohio, joking and hanging out with his fellow HWA wrestlers. That night, as he had done so many times since suffering a heart attack brought upon by a blood clot on September 24, he expressed his desire to get back into the ring to anyone who would listen to him.

But there was much more to him than just wrestling. Those who got to know him remember not as a great wrestler, but as a wonderful human being.

Thomas Russell Haas was born on March 11, 1974 in Little Rock, Arkansas. His parents, Charles and Noreen, instilled strong values in their second son from an early age, as they did with their three other children. His positive attitude, love of life and dedication to his goals were just a few of the qualities that those who knew him came to respect about him. His journey was one of achievements; the fact that he had so much fun along the way was a byproduct of his spirit. Russ knew when to make light of tense situations. He knew that humor was something that could diffuse just about any problem, and he used it often.

Once his family settled in Edmond, Oklahoma, Russ joined the junior high school wrestling team. His older brother, Charlie, was already a two-year veteran of the team, but he insists that he had little to do with his kid brother following in his footsteps.

"Russ just did what his friends did." Recalled Charlie "It was just coincidence that he wanted to play football and wrestle like me. He also played baseball, which I didn't."

When it came time for Russ to choose a college, though, Charlie does admit to a bit of brotherly badgering.

"I did encourage him," laughed Charlie, "I just wanted him at Seton Hall to wrestle along with me."

Once both brothers were through with college, Russ also needed encouragement to join the pro ranks, even though it was a child-hood dream of his - one of many dreams he shared with Charlie. "I told him that I was going to do it and I talked him into it so we could be together."

The brother duo sought out "Iron" Mike Sharpe to teach them the basics of pro wrestling. Soon, the Haas brothers made their debut at a Jersey All Pro Show. After toiling on the Northeastern Independent circuit for a few years, the Haases were introduced to East Coast Wrestling Association promoter Jim Kettner and the WWF's Kevin Kelly by New Jersey based promoter Dennis Coraluzzo. The two started training with Kettner, which meant they had to drive three hours from their homes in northern New Jersey to Wilmington, Delaware, several times each week. Kettner remembers his protégés well.

"Russ was always proud that he was the acrobat of the team," Kettner recalled. "he was a legit gymnast. At the end of every practice, the two would do kip-ups. Russ would always do his right away. Charlie would try four or five and fall on his backside. It was the one thing Russ had on Charlie."

Their hard work paid off, though. It earned them a spot with Kettner's ECWA, where they quickly became the top tag team - with Kelly (moonlighting as a heel manager) at their side.

"One of my favorite times was when we started a riot at St. Matthew's Parish," Kelly wrote on WWF.com. "Nobody could have ever imagined that two clean-cut college guys and a nerdy announcer could have created such a scene. The best part about the whole riot was that Kettner was hot! Russ, Charlie and I came slinking up to Jim's office door and with our best angelic faces, we said we were sorry."

Shortly after that mini-riot in the parish hall in Wilmington, the two were signed to WWF developmental contracts, which meant they had to pack their bags for Tennessee and a sting in Memphis Championship Wrestling. There, the two encountered a new set of challenges, as they were learning, training and wrestling with other WWF hopefuls.

"A lot of people knew Russ as a wrestler, but they didn't know him as a person." Said Victoria, a WWF developmental wrestler who first met Russ in Memphis, "He was extremely funny. He always had a witty comment. He made going to the shows enjoyable. He joked about everything. Russ reminded me of my brothers in that way. He was always very protective. He kept an eye on me, and that made me and my husband feel at ease. I feel very lucky that I got to know him, because he was a great person."

Russ was one of those people who could find humor in anything, even when the jokes came at his own expense. After suffering his first hear attack, for example, he was able to crack jokes about his condition when others would just cringe.

"Russ found humor in his problem," said Les Thatcher, head trainer at the HWA's WWF developmental territory. "Most guys didn't know how to react to it. He made light of it so the others followed the way."

Russ' condition garnered him the nickname of "The Cardiac Kid," but he laughed right along with the others about it. Tragically the condition turned out to be no joke. Before his death, two cardiologists from the same medical group cleared him to resume training. All he needed to make his return was clearance from a third specialist. That evaluation was scheduled for December 18. He died 72 hours earlier.

In addition to his parents and brother, Russ left behind a grieving wife, Deedra, with whom he had shared the better part of 10 years, as well as sisters Kelly and Cara. Charlie can't help but think about all the plans they had, the future they had mapped out.

"There are so many dream that can't be done now," he said. "We were gonna buy Harleys and ride to the beach. We were gonna live by each other so our children could grow up together. We were gonna do so much together."