The wrestling world lost Pat Patterson this week. The legendary figure passed away at 79 years of age. There has been an outpouring of tributes for him since. WWE recently posted a video of Patterson’s longtime friend, Gerald Briscoe, reflecting on his friendship with the man.

“Pat was family,” Briscoe said. “Heaven’s a beautiful place with Pat there laughing and telling his corny jokes.”

Patterson began his career in Montreal during the late 1950s. He’d move to the United States in the early 60s and found a home with San Francisco’s Big Time Wrestling in the middle part of the decade. Along with Ray Stevens, he found success and won NWA tag-team gold as a member of the Blonde Bombers. The team would split in the early 1970s but reunite in the latter part of the decade in the AWA. Patterson would begin wrestling for Vince McMahon’s Sr’s company in the late 70s and began working backstage in the mid-80s when Vince Jr. took over.

“He had so much knowledge, working with Pat was like working with an encyclopedia. you could ask him a question about any time, any era, in any town and he had a story,” Briscoe continued.

“To me, he was the most wonderful person and the most giving person. Pat was one of those guys that just gave you everything that you ever asked for and more. This business was Pat Patterson. Pat was a businessman 24/7 but Pat loved to have his good times.”

Briscoe continued to talk about how well-liked Pat was backstage.

“You weren’t a friend of Pat Patterson’s, you were a brother of Pat’s. Whether you’re a sound technician, a cameraman, our producer, director, it didn’t matter. Pat Patterson was your friend for life and he would stick up for you.”