Owen Hart is considered one of the most cherished wrestlers. However, when it comes to the career of this athlete, most remember him from the fateful night he passed away. On May 23, 1999, Owen Hart, a wrestler from Canada, perished during a WWF pay-per-view live event.
Owen Hart was one of the royalties of the world of wrestling. He happened to be the youngest son of Stu Hart, a well-known wrestling promoter, who was brought up in the renowned Hart family ‘Dungeon,’ which is located in Calgary. Once he joined the World Wrestling Federation in 1991, Owen became well known for his wrestling prowess and athleticism.
At the WWF pay-per-view Over the Edge show in 1999, Hart was appearing in one of his heroic characters known as the Blue Blazer. In order to make an entry to the ring, he was meant to be lowered via cables and harnesses from the ceiling.
Sadly, things changed dramatically when the quick disconnect mechanism executed prematurely, causing Owen Hart to fall about 78 feet to the ring below. The result of the fall was severe internal injuries. Owen had his aorta torn in half and filled his lungs with blood. Most of the fans in attendance believed this was just part of the show at Kemper Arena.
Jim Ross, the commentator, very soon let the viewers know that this was a genuine event. At the time of the fall, a video montage was being played on television; thus, the fall was not seen live on TV. The rescue workers worked on Owen for approximately twenty minutes, before moving him from the ring on a stretcher.
This unfortunate incident later led to a lot of controversies. The Hart family was angry at WWF for employing dangerous machinery in their stunts and for continuing the show despite the mishap. Bret Hart, the brother of Owen Hart, later termed this decision ‘cold-blooded’ and ‘stupid and unnecessary.’
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