I know we have a Most shocking moments thread . This is for Tragedies in wrestling.
By Eric Cohen
The Von Erich Family
At one time, the Von Erich’s were the biggest stars in wrestling but things went bad for the family rather quickly. Out of five brothers that wrestled, only one lived to see 35. David died in 1984 due to an “intestinal problem”. Mike suffered an injury and during surgery contacted a virus that nearly killed him. He was never the same again and killed himself. Kerry was a former World Champion that lost his foot in a motorcycle accident. He wrestled for a few more years but drug charges led him to kill himself. Youngest brother Chris killed himself because he felt he could never be as good as his brothers were.
The Car Crash of Magnum T.A.
In 1986, Magnum T.A. was one of the most popular stars in the NWA. His feuds for the U.S. Title with Tully Blanchard and Nikita Koloff almost overshadowed the main feud of the area, Dusty Rhodes vs. Ric Flair. There is no doubt that Magnum T.A. was soon going to be a World Champion. However, he was involved in a near-fatal car crash. In one of the most emotional moments ever, at the Crockett Cup ‘87, he made a surprise appearance and walked to the ring. Magnum never wrestled again. The biggest what if question long-time fans have is “What would wrestling be like now if Magnum wasn’t in that accident?”.
Bruiser Brody Stabbed to Death in a Locker Room
In 1988, Bruiser Brody was stabbed to death in a Puerto Rico locker room by Invader I (Jose Gonzalez), one of the bosses of the wrestling organization he was working for. An ambulance did not appear for 45 minutes after the stabbing due to either it not being called or traffic at the stadium. That delay allowed the murder weapon to be hidden. Despite several witnesses to the crime, Gonzalez was found not guilty. The American witnesses claimed to have received their summons to testify after the verdict had been rendered.
Without a doubt, Andre the Giant is the most famous wrestler to have passed away. Ironically, the medical condition that caused him to become famous was also partially responsible for his death. In 1993, Andre died of a heart attack shortly after attending the funeral of his father. In honor of Andre, the WWE created a Hall of Fame and made him the first inductee.
The Death of Dino Bravo
While dying young is all too common an event in the wrestling world, Dino’s is the only one that looks like a plot on The Sopranos. It is highly rumored that Dino was allegedly involved with an organized criminal group in Montreal that dealt in illegal cigarettes. On March 11, 1993, Dino was found dead in his apartment. He was shot seven times and at least two were to the head. Since there was no signs of forced entry, police believe that he knew his killers.
The death Of Brian Pillman
Wrestling fans are not surprised when they hear that a retired wrestler has died. However, everyone was surprised when Vince McMahon announced on the pre-show to the PPV, In Your House: Bad Blood ‘97, that Brian, who was scheduled to compete that night, was found dead in his hotel room a few hours earlier. The next night, most fans were disgusted when Vince interviewed Brian’s widow, Melanie.
The Fatal Accident of Owen Hart
At the Over the Edge '99 PPV event, Owen Hart, dressed as the Blue Blazer, was supposed to descend from the ceiling to the ring. Something terrible happened and he plummeted from the rafters onto a turnbuckle chest-first. He was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. The event went on and the fans in attendance did not find out what happened to Owen while the audience at home was told. Thankfully, an interview was being shown at the time of the accident and most of the fans in attendance did not witness the fall and the television audience never saw it.
