Celebrated weekly on wwf by such superstars and commentators as y2j, chris benoit and lance storm, stu hart is the father of modern day wrestling. Chris benoit s son david opens up about tragedy, training to be a wrestler, hall of fame. Aug 16, 2007 chris benoits family members are ready to face off in their own macabre version of a steelcage match. Sep 22, 2019 the benoit name has been a sore spot within wwe since 2007, after chris murdered his wife and child before taking his life afterwards. We know a call occurred between nancy and the doctor, the subject matter.
From the beginning, similarities between benoit and billington were apparent, as benoit adopted many of his moves such as the diving headbutt and the snap suplex. Chris benoit in june of 2007 killed his wife and son before killing himself. Chris was universally recognized as the best pro wrestling had to offer. Aug 24, 2011 chris benoit s father michael benoit on nightline discussing chris s brain injuries that led to him murdering his family and himself. He was considered for the role of the wolverine in xmen one of his nick names.
Jul 14, 2007 chris benoit s professional wrestling colleagues were among the mourners today at a memorial service for his wife and their 7yearold son. Ring of hell tells disturbing story mike mooneyham. All interviews and quotes from paragraph 22 down are legitimate quotes from vince mcmahon junior and chris benoit. Chris benoit news newspapers books scholar jstor september 2016 learn how and when to remove this template. In the notoriously crooked and exploitative world of professional wrestling, wwe legend chris benoit was supposed to be the exception. Dark sides second season will open with a twohour episode about the life of chris benoit, who committed suicide in 2007 after killing his wife and 7yearold son. Chris benoits gruesome end remains a horrifying chapter in. The following is a transcript of the entry in chris benoits journal on september 25, 2004.
The benoit murdersuicide in 2007 was one of the most shocking stories of the year, and a seminal event in the history of wrestling. The foreword mushnickmuchnick was as pointless as the timelines and little daniels fragile x syndrome. The father has said murdersuicide was out of character for his son and supported medical tests that recently showed chris benoit suffered brain damage that could have caused depression and. He had his first child with nancy daussullivan together on february 25, 2000, a son named daniel christopher benoit. It was the first book about the event and consisted of four essays about benoit, his wife nancy. Here is the associated press release regarding chris benoit s diary. The father of the late wwe superstar joined with the family of benoits wife, nancywhom. He was nancys only child, as she had no children with her exhusbands jim daus and kevin sullivan. Jul 16, 2007 according to the wwe, nancy, 43, contacted dr. Sep 27, 2016 4 things you probably didnt know about the unfortunate death of chris benoit. However, after having lived a life of a marquee athlete and still drawing large crowds, the mystery is why he would end it all in such a heinous fashion. At the time of his heinous crime, chris benoit was likely under the influence of both steroids and alcohol.
What chris benoit wrote after the funeral of ray big boss. The incident has been an extremely touchy subject for wrestlers and the business as a whole, with many superstars both past and present still not wanting to talk about it. Chris jericho backstage with chris benoits son david. Over a threeday period between june 22 and 24, 2007, chris benoit, a 40yearold veteran. Stampede wrestling 19851989 benoit began his career in 1985, in stu harts stampede wrestling promotion. As to the one that said what kind of father was he come on nothings been proven and the truth will come out when the autopsy results are released. Mar 31, 2020 while benoit has been allbuterased from the wwes history books, the family and friends interviewed for the special do their best to remind fans of nancys impact on the sport, and make their. Benoit killed his wife, nancy, and son, daniel, in their.
Wrestling with the horror that destroyed a family and crippled a sport has parsed public records and interviewed dozens of witnesses, inside and outside wrestling, to put together the first thorough and authoritative events of the gruesome june 2007 weekend in fayette. David shoemakers the squared circle looks at wrestlings heavy toll. The presidents daughter, about the presidents daughter, will be released in june 2021. The story of chris benoit and the fall of the pro wrestling.
The chris benoit situation really interested me, and still does, mostly because id never experienced the early days of benoit. It wasnt until i saw him in wcw that i realized i had a new favorite. Chris benoit benoit at a wwe house show in 2007 birth name christopher michael benoit born 19670521 may 21, 1967 montreal, quebec, canada died june 24, 2007 20070624 aged 40 fayetteville, georgia, united states cause of death suicide by hanging spouses martina benoit m. Sep 14, 2007 benoits father, michael benoit, referred to the diary earlier this month, saying it was written by someone who was extremely disturbed at the time. Heath mccoy looks over the facts of the case and examines benoits alberta wrestling roots in stampede wrestling with the hart family. Chris benoit started his professional wrestling career in 1985 at the stampede wrestling promotion, and his attachment with bret hart as well as tom bellingtons wrestling style became apparent as he perpetually used their moves sharpshooter, diving headbutt and snap suplex to spark fears in the hearts of his opponents. On june 22, 2007, benoit murdered his wife of 17 years, nancy, then killed their 7yearold son, daniel the next morning. What happened to chris benoit dark side of the ring investigates.
First a pro wrestler himself, and later the living legend who trained some of the most formidable athletes in the sport in his own basement, hart and his family s story reveals the true triumphs and tragedies of professional wrestling. The couple also had a daughter, megan, and divorced in 1997. The true story of the benoit murdersuicide and pro. Chris benoits son david benoit present at wwe live. Injuries indicated that benoit had pressed a knee into her back while pulling on a cord around her neck, causing strangulation.
No story could ever encompass what took place with chris benoit and his family which is where wrestling falls. Nov 01, 2009 muchnick the author of wrestling babylon and a coauthor of benoit. In addition, he was experiencing severe marital problems and may. Wrestlers attend funeral for benoits wife and son houston. Jul, 2016 the murdersuicide perpetrated by chris benoit in 2007 shocked the world. Christopher michael benoit was a canadian professional wrestler. Chris benoit sketchbook 129 pages, sketching, drawing and creative doodling notebook to draw and journal 8. Chris benoits father searches for answers into his sons killings. The death of chris benoit sent shockwaves across the professional wrestling industry. Chris benoit s family members are ready to face off in their own macabre version of a steelcage match. Ring of hell isnt about the murder as it is about the prowrestling. David benoit was chris benoit s first son from his marriage to martina benoit.
No one knows for sure if that s what happened to chris benoit or if his suicide was merely part of his deranged plan, but we do know that his method of selfdestruction was particularly ghastly. He was a definite throwback to the real wrestling days that are now long since gone. Chris benoit s professional wrestling colleagues were among the mourners today at a memorial service for his wife and their 7yearold son. The father of the late wwe superstar joined with the family of benoit s wife, nancywhom. June 22 and 24, 2007, chris benoit, a 40yearold veteran canadian professional wrestler employed by its all fake news. Jun 19, 2017 that said, some small bits of information have since been made public, so anyone looking for further explanation on wrestlings biggest tragedy should keep reading to learn 15 facts about the chris benoit double murdersuicide that still shock us 10 years later. Dark side of the ring 2 trailer tackles chris benoit, new. Jul 24, 2016 slam wrestling producer and author of numerous books greg oliver discusses the chris benoit murders which he wrote a book on as well as other wrestling related projects his is involved with. The cover of the squared circle and author david shoemaker. Punk responded that while benoit is in the history books and that cannot be changed, it does not make any sense for wwe. Author greg oliver on chris benoit murders youtube. It would have made a compelling chapter in a book about the early demise of wrestlers. In wcw he was a pale shadow of what his true potential was.
A postmortem examination concluded that chris benoits brain was similar to that of an 85yearold alzheimer sufferer possibly due to repeated concussions. Oct 06, 2016 the announcement of a movie about the tragic demise of the chris benoit family, crossface, has many of us remembering the grim circumstances of the shocking and horrifying murdersuicide case. The company has tried to erase him from their history books since then, and while his atrocities have nothing to do with his son, the familial association might be too strong for wwe to ever consider hiring david. Over a threeday period between june 22 and 24, 2007, chris benoit, a 40yearold veteran canadian professional wrestler employed by world wrestling entertainment wwe and living in fayetteville, georgia, killed his wife nancy benoit and suffocated their 7yearold son, daniel, before hanging himself. A copy of the document was given to me by chriss father, michael benoit.
He was the only child born to daniel and nancy benoit. According to mike, the writings left behind by chris suggest that ray big boss man traylor was one of his two best friends in wrestling the other being eddie guerrero. In tribute to billington, benoit made his pro debut at age 18 as dynamite chris benoit in stu hart s stampede wrestling promotion, and even began using some of the kid s trademark moves such as. Benoit held the wcw tag team title and television title.
Unlike some other books of its genre, however, matthew randazzo peels. All information gathered from the diary could be important evidence for the investigation for determining who gets benoit s estate. Chris benoit is a legend in his hometown of edmonton, alberta, though he wrestled all over the world and was a super star in the united states. Chris benoit murder suicide story of champion wrestler. Two days later, either overcome by the grief of his actions or simply having lost his mind entirely, benoit took his own life by hanging himself from a weight bench.
Stunted both physically and emotionally, the real chris benoit. Exwwe star launches new conspiracy theory on chris benoits. In 2004, when chris benoit won the wrestlemania 20 world heavyweight title, nancy and daniel joined him in the ring in celebration. Mine is related to benoit only in one important sense. Autopsy results showed that benoit s wife was murdered first as she was bound at the feet. Former wwe superstar chris benoits murdersuicide case to be. Through his father s first marriage, he had a halfsister named megan and a halfbrother named david. Authorities confirmed that chris benoit, his wife nancy and their 7yearold son, daniel, were found dead at the home on quarters and redwine roads in fayetteville about 4 p. Introduction to the third ultimate historical edition of chris. Hes the wrestler that went nuts, killed his wife and child and then himself. Feb 20, 2017 chris benoit first married davids mother, martina and had a daughter named megan benoit as well.
Several weeks before his death, benoit had apparently made a web search for the easiest way to break a person s spine, and he just may have found it. The son that died daniel was the youngest and the only child he had with nancy, the 2 older. Chris benoits father michael benoit on nightline youtube. Wrestling with the horror that destroyed a family and.
Aug 26, 2019 rics story continues on from the close of his autobiography, so theres a lot to learn about the road to his retirement and the death of his son, reid flair. Phil astin iii, chris benoits physician, the day before her death. Never before has the wwe faced such odds over the death of one of their own. Jun 29, 20 sandra toffoloni talks about her sister s murder at the hands of chris benoit new, 17 comments on the sixth anniversary of chris benoit s double murder suicide, sandra toffoloni, nancy benoit s sister, finally speaks out about the incident in a detailed interview to magazine style pro wrestling website. The wwe removed nearly all traces of benoit from its record books, and though the case was an early potential indicator of cte affecting athletes. First, he killed his beautiful prowrestler wife and 7yearold son and then proceeded to kill himself.
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