Check. You look into their eyes and wonder if the decision had already been made. In a DALLAS - Professional wrestler Kerry Von Erich ended his troubled life Thursday with a single bullet in his chest, becoming the fifth of the family's six brothers to die young. On September 3, they defeated the Freebirds in a handicap steel cage Loser Leaves Texas match for his fourth six-man tag title reign.[21][31]. While in Israel, Mike passed out during a match, and was rushed to a hospital. Wrestling for Fritz Von Erichs World Class Championship Wrestling was an interesting time for Terry Taylor. The two youngest sons were the ones who had it roughest in professional wrestling. As one of the most infamous families in all of professional wrestling, the Von Erich brothers made names for themselves in the 1980s one brother,Kerry Von Erich even winning a WWE title, but death began to follow each brother like a shadow. At Survivor Series in 1990, while still Intercontinental Champion, he wrestled in a Survivor Series match where he teamed with the WWF Champion The Ultimate Warrior (formerly The Dingo Warrior in World Class) and the Legion of Doom (Hawk and Animal). 'Fog of bees' briefly interrupts PGA Tour's Mexico Open. Kerry Adkisson's death was only the latest family tragedy. During his last days in WCCW, Kerry Von Erich would be embroiled in a feud with Jerry "The King" Lawler (AWA World Heavyweight Champion) over who would be the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion. [47], At the Royal Rumble in 1991, he participated in the Royal Rumble match where he entered fifth and was eliminated by The Undertaker after lasting nearly half an hour. The champion Ric Flair intentionally got disqualified to retain the title. [16] On June 4, Von Erich defeated former NWA World Heavyweight Champion Harley Race, elevating him to main event status.[17]. interviews and more by clicking here! Kerry Von Erich was one of the biggest stars in the territories, but thanks to an accident and personal issues, he ended up taking his own life. WebFORT WORTH, Texas -- The medical examiner says popular professional wrestler Kerry Von Erich had alcohol and cocaine in his system when he killed himself last month near But even after that, Von Erich went on to the WWE, debuting as the Texas Tornado and getting into high-profile feuds with other gifted grapplers, such as Mr. [8] They would meet at an interpromotional event called SuperClash III to settle the dispute. He was brilliant in the ring, and was exceptional on the microphone as well. Outside of brothers David and Kevin, Kerry was the only Von Erich brother to compete under the bright lights of the WWE. He tried to get back into physical shape, but the damage that he sustained robbed him of his muscle mass, and he was never able to achieve the level of fitness that he once had. 2002 - Billy Gunn & Chuck Palumbo defeated Rico & Rikishi for Von Erich would later have the foot amputated, but returned to the ring It was perhaps the premiere wrestling organization in the United States, and a Von Erich was all set to rule it with an iron fist. The Von Erich Brothers Web1986 - Kerry Von Erich is involved in a motorcycle accident in Argyle, Texas, crashing into the back of a police car while trying to pass a truck on a two-lane highway while wearing Chris just physically wasn't able to withstand the punishment that comes along with being a professional wrestler. [46] Von Erich would go on to get revenge against Dibiase in a series of matches. Von Erich was also part of a rare legitimate title unification match, dropping the WCWA world title to the then-AWA World Champion, Jerry The King Lawler, at SuperClash III again, after his injury. But the story of the sons of Fritz Von Erich cant be told without looking at the man himself. They were too young to remember the tragic passing of their brother. They were set to take over the wrestling world, and instead, traveled a road that led to death and devastation. In order to remain on kayfabe terms, Adams and Kerry wrestled as a tag team two days later in San Antonio, since the heel turn had not aired on television yet. We learned that the hard way. . He was found dead several days later. As one of the most infamous families in all of professional wrestling, the Von Erichs made names for themselves in the 1980s before death began to follow each brother like a shadow. and several fans saw that he had no foot). Check. However he now found himself as an opening card act programmed against low level competition like Barry Horowitz, Kato, and Skinner. Kerry was said to have been very embarrassed about having to wear the foot, and he went togreat lengths to keep it concealed while wrestling. [43][44] After he became champion, Tornado defended the title for three months, including a match against Haku on the October 13 Saturday Night's Main Event XXVIII[45] before losing the title back to former champion Mr. Among other accolades, he was a one-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion,[7] four-time WCWA World Heavyweight Champion,[8] making him an overall five-time world champion and one-time WWF Intercontinental Champion. "Kerry's had a drug problem since that accident, and no one was ever about to tell why. Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? People forget how athletic the Von Erich boys were even a diminished Kerry Von Erich was still an incredibly gifted athlete. His story serves as an important reminder of the fragility of life and that we should take every opportunity to cherish it. ", He said Kerry didn't want to tell because "Fellas might think he was weaker.". During the recovery process, Von Erichs wife, Catherine, gave birth to their second daughter, Lacey, on July 17th. "I found that Jeep empty, durn it," he said. Before his death, David had begun to compete in Japan, though he was planning to return to the United States to continue his wrestling career in his native land. WebAt the height of his fame as the Texas Tornado, Kerry Von Erich's greatest battles were outside of the ring. WebThese undue pressures can lead to suicide. April 28 (UPI) -- A British piercing enthusiast broke his own Guinness World Record when the number of flesh tunnels in his face increased to 17. As was mentioned earlier, Kerry was the only Von Erich that spent a great deal of time in the WWE, winning the Intercontinental Title during his time with the promotion. "We are asking our Board of Trustees, students, faculty, staff, and alumni to rally together and confront this unfair and poorly thought-out B. [18] On December 25, Kerry got his next title shot against Flair in a no disqualification steel cage match, with Michael "P.S." The elder Adkisson said his son had been despondent recently because of the legal problems and had frequently mentioned taking his own life. Kerry Von Erich Adkisson was scheduled to wrestle tonight in a Global Wrestling Federation match against "The Angel of Death" at the Dallas Sportatorium. While he still had his chiseled body and big smile, there was something different, something missing. But by this time, Von Erich was dealing with a painkiller addiction, and he found himself falling down the card for the WWE. [11][13] On October 25, he teamed with Terry Orndorff and they defeated The Great Kabuki and Chan Chung to win the NWA American Tag Team Championship. Tragedy waited around each corner for this family, and despite their talents in the ring, personal demons from mounting pressure and drug abuse led to the demise of what could have been wrestling's most dominant family. He debuted on the Saturday Night's Main Event XXVII as a fan favorite under the ring name Texas Tornado (while being openly acknowledged as Kerry Von Erich by announcers), defeating Buddy Rose, who coincidentally was his first opponent in his career. Year by year, Doris Von Erich has taken down the pictures and posters. Mike was only 23 when he died. He was only waiting for God to tell him when. [39] On September 28, 1985, Kerry made an appearance for American Wrestling Association's SuperClash defeating Jimmy Garvin to retain the NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship. Nevertheless, the Von Erich family lost another member, and the wrestling community couldn't help but stop and stare at the pain that plagued the family. He has covered Division I college athletics and professional sports including MLB and NFL games. The injury required doctors to insert pins into bone in his foot. RELATED: The Von Erich Family - Wrestling's Most Unheralded Megastars. WebRare Kerry Von Erich NWA Title Defense VS Terry Gordy aired 5/26/84 Taped 5/7/84 as Kerry Dropped the belt back to Ric Flair 5/25/84 in Japan #Kerry #VonErich According to his brother Kevin, Kerry injured the foot following surgery by attempting to walk on it prematurely, thus forcing the doctors to amputate it. [49] Von Erich continued to be heavily pushed for the first half of 1991 and did not suffer another pinfall defeat until August 17, 1991, when he was defeated by The Warlord in Landover, MD. [23] On September 5, the brothers took on the Fabulous Freebirds in a rematch for the titles; the Freebirds retained their titles by pinning Kerry. It has been said that Mike never wanted to enter the family business to become a wrestler, and it would be an injury that he sustained from wrestling that nearly cost him his life. When he beat Ric Flair for the NWA World Championship, it was clear Flair carried the match, but all Kerry had to do was hit his moves and show his smile, and the fans ate it up. He formed a tag team with Jeff Jarrett, winning the Tag Team Title with him. Unlike his sons who died at a relatively young age, Fritz was able to live a Kerry had become addicted to painkillers following his accident and amputation. You have permission to edit this article. On January 30, 1984, he teamed up with his brothers Mike and David against the Fabulous Freebirds in a six-man tag team match, which the Von Erichs lost by disqualification. The crowd thought Kerry won by submission but instead "due to excessive bleeding" the referee stopped the match and awarded the decision and the WCWA Championship to Jerry Lawler. It was extremely painful at first," Mr. Adkisson said. He was immensely depressed from having a failing wrestling career, though this wasn't for lack of talent. On December 25, Kerry again got a shot at the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, a title he had lost many months ago. 3) wins the Royal Rumble Match to become WWE Champion", "RCS Exclusive: Texas Tornado promo facing Papa Shango at Summer Slam 92", "Free Family Tree, Genealogy, Family History, and DNA Testing", "NWA United States Heavyweight Title (1967-1968/05) - American Heavyweight Title (1968/05-1986/02)", National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Title (Texas) history, "Pro wrestling history (01/23): Hulk Hogan defeats Iron Sheik for WWF title", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kerry_Von_Erich&oldid=1152372174, Professional wrestlers from New York (state), Sportspeople from Niagara Falls, New York, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, TWF Texas Heavyweight Championship (1 time), USWF Texas Heavyweight Championship (1 time), The Dalton Brothers (Jack Dalton and Jim Dalton), The Kozak Brothers (Jerry Kozak and Nick Kozak), This page was last edited on 29 April 2023, at 21:04. It is said that burying your child is the hardest thing that a parent will ever have to go through, but imagine burying 5 of your children. With Kerry Von Erich also dying by suicide in 1993, Kevin Von Erich was the last brother left alive. Kerry has the 12th shortest NWA World title reign in history. Despite this, the Von Erichs are among the most respected performers in wrestling history, and in 2009, the WWE inducted the family into the WWE Hall of Fame. Murray. FORT WORTH, Texas -- The medical examiner says popular professional wrestler Kerry Von Erich had alcohol and cocaine in his system when he killed himself last month near the family's north Texas farm. On October 27, 1984, Hernandez, Adams, and Roberts defeated the Von Erichs to win the Six Man Tag Title in a match that saw Bobby Fulton substitute for an injured Kevin. David Von Erich died of acute enteritis of the upper intestine, he was 26. Only one lived past the age of 33. Von Erich suffers a Justice of the Peace Bill Lemmert of Tyler ordered the autopsy for the wrestler, who was the fourth son of Jack Adkisson to die young. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. Jack Adkisson found his son's body in a blackberry vine thicket on the family's 140-acre ranch in this community of Denton County north of Fort Worth. WWE made two Hall of Fame rings with Kerry Von Erich's name inscribed on the interior which were presented by Kevin Von Erich to Kerry's daughters, Hollie and Lacey, attending with their mother Cathy (Kerry's ex-wife). Both of the players involved in this story would unfortunately find tragic ends: Warrior succumbed to a heart attack mere hours after appearing on a WWE television show in 2014, and Kerry Von Erich would take his own life in 1993, another casualty in his familys horribly sad legacy. Jimmy Savile: A Predators Time in Wrestling, 10 Non-Russians Who Portrayed a Russian Heel in Wrestling, Extreme Cases of Wrestlers Protecting Their Gimmicks, Nicole Bass The Life and Tragic Passing of My Friend. Books at Amazon: amzn.to/2OXodI9. About 2:15 p.m., Jack Adkisson said he got worried because he knewKerry had to pick up his daughters, Holly, 9, and Lacy, 6, from school in Dallas County. He made an appearance for Eastern Championship Wrestling on January 23, 1993, for ECW's Battle of the Belts against Salvatore Bellomo in a double disqualification. He'll focus on the Smart Tour instead, but he could race in Tommy Neal's Sportsman car next month. When he later had Lawler in a clawhold on the mat with Lawler's shoulders down, the referee saw the blood on Kerry's head, thought it was excessive, and stopped the match. Back in 1959, the first child born to Fritz Von Erich tragically drowned when he was only 6 years old. More than 150 beverages delivered to woman's home without explanation. However, Kerry found things getting rough starting in 1989. Stranded bear rescued from Nevada tree using tranquilizer, tarp. https://twitter.com/imdoyleking/status/303659135604510720 1 Reply He continued wrestling after the accident with a prosthesis and kept the amputation secret to the majority of fans and fellow wrestlers, even going to the extreme of showering with his boots on. 10 Provoking Photos Of Lacey Von Erich . After ending their rivalry with the Fabulous Freebirds, Von Erich brothers next feuded with Gino Hernandez, Chris Adams, and Jake Roberts. 24) wins the Royal Rumble Match", "Ric Flair (spot No. As I'm sure you have noticed, each Von Erich brother that passed away was incredibly young. To be the man, you need to beat the man, and in the 1980s, David Von Erich was all set to be the man in the NWA. The only surviving son is Kevin, 34, also a wrestler, who was en route from Jefferson, Texas, to the family home after Kerry's death. Kerry did continue to wrestle at the Dallas Sportatorium under the USWA banner, which acquired World Class in early 1989. Mr. Adkisson, 33, a well-known wrestler dubbed "the Texas Tornado," was found dead about 2:50 p.m. by his father, Jack Adkisson, who also wrestled professionally for several years under the name Fritz Von Erich and raised a family of wrestling stars. Texas, crashing into the back of a police car while trying to pass a truck on a Kerry confided that hed made up his mind to join his brothers in heaven. Instead of going to jail, Kerry returned home to his father's ranch and died by suicide, firing one single bullet into his heart. This would be Kerry's last championship belt. PWInsider - WWE News, Wrestling News, WWE. [51] At Survivor Series, he teamed with Sgt. Despite his premature passing, Kerry Von Erich will forever be remembered as a remarkable athlete. His amputation was kept secret from the public until after his death. However, Roddy Piper stated in his autobiography: "We were the best of friends. And she was his little girl. 30 Wrestlers You May Not Know Were Related! Von Erich suffers a dislocated hip and a severely damaged right foot and undergoes over 13 hours of surgery. When he beat Nature Boy Ric Flair for the NWA World Championship at a show dedicated to his brother David, it was one of the biggest moments in Texas wrestling history. The event was held in the family's home state of Texas, and Kevin, being the last surviving brother, was there to accept the prestigious honor. He was destined to become a future world champion and the NWA had big plans for the Yellow Rose of Texas. The family members inducted were Fritz, Kevin, David, Kerry, Mike, and Chris Von Erich. Prior to this match, Kerry accidentally cut his arm causing it to bleed. He survived the onslaught, but he was never the same again. ", He added that his son was having income tax problems and was worried about the indictment. Kerry was also a standout in high school track and field and possessed a record-breaking discus throw. They may have helped him decide to take his life,however, "Because when one in the family does it, it makes it a whole lot easier for another one to do it. He went on to say that he tried to talk Kerry out of it, saying that Kerry's children would need their dad. His legacy isn't nearly as revered as David's or Kerry's, but Mike losing his life had an effect on the wrestling community. WebSHADY SHORES, TEXAS SHADY SHORES, Texas -- Wrestler Kerry Von Erich Adkisson, member of a star-crossed wrestling family that had already lost four of its sons, Kerry mostly convinced Bret that he had changed his mind, but Bret feared that it was only words. David and Kevin both had brief stints with the company, but did very little during their time in the WWE. ``Earlier, Kevin talked with Chris, who appeared to be distraught, and when he later checked on him, he found him shot,' about 100-150 yards north of the home where an apparent suicide note had been left, Jordan said. ``Chris has been living on the farm with them. This author needs to do their research. WebKerry Von Erich posthumously appears in Dark Side of the Ring (season 1 episode 4) and the video games Legends of Wrestling, Legends of Wrestling II, Showdown: Legends On December 28, 1980, his first NWA American Heavyweight Championship reign came after he defeated Gino Hernandez for the vacant title. The first was in 1959, when Jack Adkisson Jr. died of an accidental electrocution at age 7. Sadly, Kerry's career would be littered with ups and downs, and his lowest valleys were something that few could deal with. He was arrested once on a drug charge and received a probationary sentence. Kerry was married on June 18, 1983, to Catherine M. David died from toxic shock, Mike died from a self inflicted gun shot wound and Kerry over-dosed. A fresh take on sports: the biggest news and most entertaining lists. Hayes, as the special guest referee. According to reports, Jack was playing outside when he came into contact with a wire that was attached to an electric fence. Mr. Adkisson hadn't seen his son for two weeks until 1:30 p.m. yesterday, when he came to the house and hugged his father for the last time. We all did." Perfect, but his team won the match. [1] Terry Gordy slammed the cage door on Kerry's head, which led to Flair winning the match and retaining the title. Only four hours after finding his son's body, Jack Adkisson stood on the front porch of his A-frame home and calmly spoke to reporters about his son. He really felt like he would be with them the way he did it. He was 68. Kerry Adkisson took his own life on February 18th, 1993, at the family ranch. SHADY SHORES, TEXAS SHADY SHORES, Texas -- Wrestler Kerry Von Erich Adkisson, member of a star-crossed wrestling family that had already lost four of its sons, died yesterday of a bullet wound that was apparently self-inflicted. However, many people believe that David died of a drug overdose, and that his friend and fellow wrestler Bruiser Brody got rid of the evidence. Scottish Island for sale with asking price of $188,000. His most successful was St. Louis Wrestling Club from 1979 to 1985, where he once held the NWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship in 1983. He could have been a great manager for his brothers, or could have tried his hand at booking matches. He was the Modern Day Warrior and the Texas Tornado.. They helped redefine wrestling by implementing their unique take on the profession, and their contributions to the sport can be felt to this very day. The Yellow Rose Of Texas was only 25 years old when he tragically passed away in Japan. The Saturday Night Main Events of the WWF, at the time a ratings success story around the country, was destroyed head-to-head by Adkisson's local television show on KTVT. April 28 (UPI) -- An isolated private island off the coast of Scotland is for sale with an asking price of about $188,000. By now, Fritz had lost 2 of his sons, and unfortunately, number 3 would come sooner than he had hoped. He killed himself a few days following this event. In his autobiography, former WWE Champion and Hall-of-Famer Bret Hart wrote that Kerry had told him months before about his plans, that he had wanted to follow his three late brothers, and that they were calling him. On August 15, he got his very first shot at the NWA title against Flair in a two out of three falls match, which Flair won to retain the title. This occurred nearly 6 months before Jacks 7th birthday. An apparent suicide note was found by authorities after he was found shot in the head. [37] This would mark the end of Kerry's WCWA run. In a tribute to David, his younger brother Kerry Von Erich would take his place in the NWA and defeat Ric Flair for the world title. He still tried his best when healthy enough to compete, and even had a tag team match against future legend Steve Austin. Kerry started feuding with the NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair. Sadly, David Von Erich would never get to defeat Ric Flair in the NWA, and he would tragically pass away while competing in Japan. [14][20] On July 4, Kerry and his elder brothers Kevin and David defeated the Fabulous Freebirds in a two out of three falls match to win the NWA Texas Six-Man Tag Team Championship. To better understand the death of the Von Erich brothers, you would need to take a look back to the familys first brush with loss. Despite their accomplishments and prestigious last name, the Von Erich brothers lived a life that was filled with incredible pressure to live up to their father's loft expectations, as well as the expectations of their fans. American professional wrestler (19601993), NWA Texas / World Class Championship Wrestling (19781989), American Heavyweight Champion and American Tag Team Champion (19801983), NWA World Heavyweight Champion and feud with The Fabulous Freebirds (19831984), United States Wrestling Association (19891990), Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship and various feuds (19901991), Final storylines and departure (19911992), Posthumous induction in WWE Hall of Fame (2009), David Von Erich Memorial Parade of Champions, 12th shortest NWA World title reign in history, World Wrestling Federation / World Wrestling Entertainment, WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship, List of premature professional wrestling deaths, "Wrestling 85: Interview 85:Kerry Von Erich", "WWE Intercontinental Championship official title history", World 6-Man Tag Team Title (Texas) history, "Independence Day Star Wars 1983 results", "1st Von Erich Memorial Parade of Champions results", World Class Wrestling Association World Tag Team Title history, "Saturday Night's Main Event results July 28, 1990", "Texas Tornado's first Intercontinental Championship reign", "Saturday Night's Main Event results October 13, 1990", "Hulk Hogan (spot No. Unfortunately, this would be the only title that a Von Erich brother would win in the WWE. After an absence of two months following the real life breakdown of his marriage and subsequent divorce, Von Erich returned to action following WrestleMania VIII and defeated Marc Roberts on the April 18, 1992, episode of Superstars. After resisting a move to WWE for many years, he finally relented in 1990 and signed on with Vince McMahon's promotion. Get everything first at patreon.com/ahlhelm. The pressures of the business can be too much for some to overcome, and with the Von Erichs, it cost them their lives.