A Mexican priest turned to pro wrestling to build an orphanage and a legacy

In 1976, young priest Sergio Gutiérrez Benítez found an unconventional way to raise funding for a local orphanage in Mexico. By day, he would don his priest robes to serve his community. But at night, he would exchange those robes for tights and a mask, performing as a professional wrestler and use whatever money he earned to help raise the impoverished children under his care. For four decades, Gutiérrez Benítez would be known by another name: the luchador Fray Tormenta.

Born in 1945 in San Agustín Metzquititlán, Mexico, Gutierrez Benitez’s childhood was one of struggle, drug addiction, and crime. “I started when I was 11 or 12. In this country [Mexico], drugs have always been very present,” he said. “I did everything—marijuana and cocaine every day, even mushrooms from time to time. A little after that, I started heroin. By the time I turned 18, I had already become a criminal and a thief. I even worked as an actor and clown in a circus, but I spent everything on my doses, and I needed more, so I started stealing.”

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At his rock bottom, Gutierrez Benitez turned to a church confessional, which would change the direction of his life. He dedicated himself to the priesthood. After a bout in rehab, joining the seminary, and studying in Rome and Spain, he returned to Mexico to serve.

After aiding drug addicts, his focus turned to starting an orphanage. It desperately needed financial support and he got an idea after watching the film El señor Tormenta. The film was about a priest who wrestled in order to fund an orphanage. In the case of life imitating art, Gutierrez Benitez would wake up at 4:00 AM to train for lucha libre (Mexican professional wrestling) so he would get his sessions in before morning Mass. In his first match, he only got a measly $15, but he knew that with time, experience, and good will from the fans, his luchador persona of Fray Tormenta (“Friar Storm”) could draw significant money for the kids at the orphanage.

Over time, Fray Tormenta got onto bigger shows and better pay, further funding his orphanage while keeping his dual life as a priest by day, luchador by night a secret. Oddly enough, he would get greater success when his identity was accidentally revealed by a fellow luchador, Huracán Ramírez. After being unmasked, the public knew not only Gutierrez Benitez’s identity but his mission to educate and feed the orphans of his community. With this knowledge, more people became fans and would cheer him on during his matches. He would also put on his masked persona while serving as a priest during the day, too.

After Fray Tormenta retired for good in 2011, it is said that he helped raise 2,500 kids at his orphanage. Now age 79, the community he raised wants to give back. They found out that Gutierrez Benitez was suffering from a series of health issues, accruing high medical bills to treat his heart, kidneys, and prostate. His story inspired a GoFundMe to help raise money to continue financing his health care, with people throughout the world contributing to it.

Gutierrez Benitez currently lives with a man who was raised in his orphanage, Crispín Bautista Alvalle. Bautista Avalle not only cares for Gutierrez Benitez, but also assumed the mantle of Fray Tormenta as a wrestler himself. Gutierrez Benitez is frequently seen either in the crowd or at ringside at lucha libre shows, cheering the new Fray Tormenta on.

“More than anything, the father wants the good name of Fray Tormenta to have someone who will really take care of it and won’t misuse it,” said Bautista Avalle to The Times. “He gave his entire life to support young people. We are going to return what he gave us.”

In an odd instance of life imitating art imitating life, while Gutiérrez Benítez’s career as Fray Tormenta was inspired by a movie, his life would inspire two other movies: 1991’s L'Homme au masque d'or starring Jean Reno and 2006’s Nacho Libre starring Jack Black.

Given the flashy costumes and masks, luchadors are seen as modern day superheroes, but Gutiérrez Benítez has a simpler, humbler take. “What is hidden beneath this mask?” he asked. “The face of a priest who wanted to do good.”