"Shad was one of those guys that everybody loved."
That's Triple H telling TMZ Sports why the death of former WWE superstar Shad Gaspard is such a huge loss ... explaining, "He was just a great human being."
Of course, Shad began his relationship with WWE in 2002 when he tried out for the "Tough Enough 2" reality show.
He busted his ass and earned a WWE contract in 2005 -- eventually making the big stage in early 2006.
He ultimately parted ways with WWE in 2010 but Triple H says they had a good relationship .