Cody Rhodes and his family are mourning the loss of a beloved member of their family.
Rhodes announced on Instagram on Tuesday that his longtime dog Pharaoh has passed away (see post below), sharing an emotional tribute looking back on their years together.
Pharaoh had been alongside Rhodes for more than a decade, accompanying him through major changes in both his life and wrestling career. He also became well known to wrestling fans and was incorporated into Rhodes’ presentation throughout his time in WWE, AEW and elsewhere.
More recently, Pharaoh’s name even surfaced during Rhodes’ WWE rivalry with Randy Orton, who brought him up while taking personal shots at his former protégé.
In his tribute, Rhodes described Pharaoh as a “crisis dog” who always seemed to know when he was needed.
“Huskies need a job,” Rhodes wrote. “P howled at the moon. When we thought he would be afraid of the older dogs we had, but instead ran into the living room and belly flopped’ on them. He patrolled the pool. He always tore up a plant when a stranger came into the backyard to let them know – ‘I’m crazy’ – and don’t come closer.”
Rhodes recalled Pharaoh receiving extensive training and being particularly good under pressure, including during one of the most difficult periods of Rhodes’ life.
“He got the best training and retained most of it-I’d call him a crisis dog. Whenever there was a crisis, there he was. He put his nose under my arm in the truck…every time. He was always with us, and when my world got turned upside down [when Dusty Rhodes passed away]…he sat outside with me looking at the Texas stars until the sky started to shift and he pressed his head against me firmly in a way that let me know he understood.”
Rhodes also reflected on Pharaoh becoming something of a wrestling celebrity himself over the years.
“It goes without saying, he was a good boy. My best man,” Rhodes continued. “At the first ‘all in’ when Starrcast did its first convention, I’ll never forget him walking into the Hyatt in Schaumburg and us seeing the lobby overtaken by fans & wrestling shirts from front door to the back.”
Rhodes remembered fans recognizing Pharaoh immediately and treating his arrival almost like a wrestler making an entrance.
“We walked by the lobby bar and they had a special menu posted with ‘Pharaoh’s fries’; but the thing I remember most is how the fans kinda’ parted the sea for him as he walked through…they snapped selfies and chanted his name like he was making an entrance on tv or something ha.”
Pharaoh would eventually make charity appearances benefiting animal shelters and become even more closely associated with the Rhodes family and wrestling.
“He’d go on to do multiple charity meet/greets for some of the best shelters in the country. He was a Chewy’ champion. Mattel fig! Opponent of the Rock. I knew he was a true alpha when he would just let Yeti bite his face. He was part of the Rhodes’ wrestling family. ‘The Siberian Nightmare’ ha.”
Rhodes closed his tribute by writing about the role Pharaoh ultimately found after the birth of Rhodes and Brandi Rhodes’ daughter, Liberty.
“I’ve gotten off track though…I said huskies needed a job, and I don’t think Pharaoh ever truly knew his,” Rhodes wrote. “That is until Liberty was born. I scrolled back through my old pictures and there he is with her…almost every early photo…he’s just peeking into frame, or right beside her, or sternly looking through the lens.”
For Rhodes, Pharaoh’s job had become looking after Liberty.
“His job was to be with her. Maybe he wanted to protect her. As I said, he needed a job.”
Rhodes then shared the final words he said to Pharaoh before his passing.
“When you watch GOT [Game of Thrones] one night late on tv and decide you want a little wolf pup, it would be fitting to say ‘your watch has ended’, but I’d rather say the last thing I told you before you went to forever sleep, you did your job. We love you.”
