Hardest death('s) to accept?

[Lewscher]

Just curious as i watched the raw eddie tribute, was sad and then to see benoit (alive) and realise he passed, etc
I know it's not like your own close family or friend, but if you grew up with these guys, watching, playing and believing the story lines as a child, you do feel like a part of your child hood can't be re-lived i supppose. I mean look at the recent wwe raw they did, how many couldn't make that?
Why it got me is i live in the late 90's early millenium of wrestling, figures, games, youtube ppv's, and then, they were in their prime, but now to be gone it gets me like it did When it happened.
Thought i'd ask

[No Brokeback]

Eddie Guerrero, by far. It's the only death I've really cried about, and I was 18 at the time? What 18 year old cries watching wrestling.

But I watched Eddie since I was pretty young and into WCW. I hated him in WCW, always making Chavo do things he didn't want to, always giving him a hard time and just trashing everyone.

But he left WCW around the time I was getting into WWE. I was pissed that he was in WWE. I started watching in 99 and he came in 2000, I think? With all those other WCW guys, and I was just pissed that they sides with Triple H.

But when you watch Wrestlemania 20, it's just crazy, to see both Benoit and Eddie finally making it to where they wanted to be. Their goal in life was 'that moment' and to see it so short lived is crazy.

So, when he died, when you saw Big Show, and everyone talking about Eddie...I couldn't hold it in. He was at the top of his game toward the end, still over and everything.

[tnafan17: The Total Package]

You know I never cried for Eddie, Benoit, Owen, Pillman etc. But I definitely felt them all. It does feel like you lost a bit of your childhood, especially when you have been attached to wrestling as long as most of us have. Your losing nostalgia that you've held on to for all these years.

When Pillman and Owen died I was around 7-8 at the time so I was shocked for sure. It wasn't till I started hitting my teens that I really began to respect both of these wrestlers work. I was more of a WCW guy at the time, but I still would flip back and forth. It was not until really Candian Stampede that I got big into WWF.

Eddie's death definitely caught me by suprise. Like May 19th said, the guy was just hitting his pinnacle point in his life he had worked for, for so long. It just seemed rather odd. He was an awesome cruiserweight and I have awesome memories from watching him till this day. How could I ever forget his match with Rey Mysterio at Halloween Havoc 1997?

Benoits death really struck me hard. For some reason when I was younger, I use to really like be into the guy during his WCW days. I use to love his matches with Kevin Sullivan at Bash at the Beach, GAB etc. I can say that I know it must have been hard to watch a friend that he grew up with in the business pass. Seeing the CNN special showed me just how hard it hit him. Then hearing about hiim missing the PPV that night made me wonder if something was going on. How tragic it was to hear about the events that took place that night. I was truly devastated.

[Kliquid]

For me, it was definitely Benoit.

I remember, for weeks, I was like, "There's no way he did this. He was framed and murdered..."

[Mr. Old School™]

Oh man, there have been SO many, it's almost too hard to narrow it down. They've all been bad and to see them die so young just makes it worse. But, I would have to say that the deaths of Miss Elizabeth and Mr. Perfect were the hardest for me.

I still can't believe Miss Elizabeth is gone and has been gone for nearly 8 years now...And the same goes for Mr. Perfect too. They both died in 2003, which was one of the worst years for wrestling related deaths.

Brian Pillman's death was hard for me too because we share the same birthday, May 22nd. I mean, every year that I celebrate mine, I remember that he would have had his too and it's really sad he died so young too.

The wrestling business has been a cruel one, as far as deaths go. There have been FAR too many and the majority of them have been very young deaths. I mean, Lance Cade for example. Dead from heart failure at only 29 years old...That's friggin' terrible. He should've lived for another 40 years at least, but was cut down in the prime of his life.

Kinda makes you wonder, had he not got involved with wrestling, would he still be here today or would the heart failure have caught up with him anyway?? I have my doubts.

Owen Hart's death was a very hard one too. I mean, a day after my birthday May23rd 1999, I am watching the Over the Edge PPV and J.R. makes the announcement that I'll never forget, that Owen Hart has died. I was in utter shock. I couldn't believe they continued the show. You couldn't pay me enough to go out there after he just died in the ring. I would have quit in protest.

There have been countless other deaths in wrestling that have affected me, but I am kinda numb to it now, just because there have been SO many over the years.

It's heartbreaking knowing that so many of the superstars I grew up watching 20+ years ago, are gone. I mean, I almost hate watching any early 80's or 90's WWF Coliseum Video stuff because so many of them are gone and it's just really sad and depressing.

[slappy]

There are a bunch. I watch old matches and think "I'd love to see them come in and do something today" and then it would hit me that they've died and then I'll get upset.

[heatofthemoment]

Primo.

[Hammersmith Hardman]

Definetly Eddie Guerrero. Haven't liked wrestling as much ever since.

[Juba]

I wanna say owen's hit me hard but none hit me as hard as benoit and eddie's. I mean these were two of the first wrestlers I watched getting into wrestling in 95/96. Growing up and seeing just how far they were bale to go it just hit me really hard.

[eddie eddie]

Benoit, definitely. people die. it happens. i'm usually prepared for that. but for one of the best wrestlers of all time to kill himself and kill his family... well what the ? really?

[Raine]

Owen Hart for sure, died in a tragic accident doing a stunt that went wrong, which he had no experience or business doing, but did it for the fans, for good TV. Even though it was only a mid card match, and dropping into the ring was never going to be as memorable as say HBK's entrance at WM12, he went along with it. WWF should have stopped the show there and then, who the hell would have asked for a refund?

I have to admit Bret Hart had a terrible time in short period of time he lost Stu, Helen, Owen, Bulldog, Pillman, Brian Adams, Hennig, , Benoit, Rude (the last 4 he was close to) and had a stroke all in short period. Thats tough to take.

Eddie Guerrero, even though I enjoyed his work, knew the risk of taking steroids and all though was terrible, I honestly have no sympathy for. People who take them be it Athletes, Body builders, Wrestlers or people I know in real life know what can happen if you abuse steroids. Same goes for Bulldog, Rude, Hawk, Hennig all big time users, I'm just suprised the likes of Hulk or Warrior were never affected.

[No Brokeback]

Eddie Guerrero, even though I enjoyed his work, knew the risk of taking steroids and all though was terrible, I honestly have no sympathy for. People who take them be it Athletes, Body builders, Wrestlers or people I know in real life know what can happen if you abuse steroids. Same goes for Bulldog, Rude, Hawk, Hennig all big time users, I'm just suprised the likes of Hulk or Warrior were never affected.

What? He was drug free for over 2 years and was getting and staying clean if I remember correctly. He was turning his life around ...or had turned his life around.

and I think that's pretty low either way. To think someones death is just a 'one off' because they used steroids.

[Raine]

Yes but just because he was drug free for 2 years, doesn't undo a decade or so of drug abuse to your heart, its like smokers if they smoke for 10 years and then stop, their lungs will still have been impacted by cigarettes compared to a total non smoker. Biology isn't your strong point it seems.

[Deleted]

Jan 25, 2011 10:39:56 GMT -5 @heatofthemoment said:

Primo.

You sir, are the winner of this thread.

[Raine]

Obviously it isn't a one off if dozens of steroid using wrestlers have sadly passed away because of steroid abuse. Eddie took them to get over in the monster world of wrestling because naturally he was too small to be taken as a big star so used them to increase his size. I refuse to take them because of what they can do to your body and more importantly your heart.

Going by your username, I have obviously touched a nerve.

[candygallows]

Well, I'm surpised these really haven't been named, but:
Hawk
Davy Boy Smith
&
Kanyon

[Johnny Lawrence - Cobra Kai]

The ones that have been hardest for me to accept have been the suicides and the guys that may not have literally killed themselves, but did insane amounts of painkillers/drugs/alcohol to the point where they basically killed themselves, intentional or not.

Mike Awesome, Curt Hennig, Rick Rude, Eddy Guerrero, Crash Holly, Miss Elizabeth, Louie Spicolli all fit into this category for me (among others). As a wrestling fan, you get so used to viewing these guys and gals as entertainers, there to make you forget about your own world for a few hours a week and help you have fun. When you see that they've been suffering a lot, it really hits you in the gut and shows you a different side of them.

Chris Benoit was especially shocking because he killed his wife and his little boy in the process, which is so hard to accept after years of watching and enjoying his work.

I mean it's hard for a sane person to accept that anyone, in any walk of life, could kill their family, but when it's a wrestler you've admired for years -- and now suddenly have a ton of mixed feelings about -- it changes everything.

[Burger Lad]

Owen Hart - family man and drug free.

[Kick Your Face]

Hennig at the time. He was my favorite wrestler and it was just weird. But as time went on, I have gotten really angry at the amount of wrestlers who are dying from using drugs.

Misawa didn't do drugs. He killed himself doing what he loved. Owen was another who was basically trapped into a corner on the stunt.

[Burger Lad]

^ Yes and Mr. Perfect!