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When we talk about
wrestling in the 80s,
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it's hard to imagine
how popular...
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00:00:08,182 --> 00:00:09,622
the Von Erich brothers were.
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00:00:09,661 --> 00:00:11,191
Those guys were ready-made.
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The Von Erich family
could've been the
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00:00:15,406 --> 00:00:17,276
equivalent of the Kennedys.
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It was a dynasty.
It was a family dynasty.
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They were the all-American
boys from Texas.
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They are real-life Texas heroes,
in the flesh.
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They didn't have to put
'em in a funny outfit.
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They didn't have to
give 'em a different name.
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They had the look;
they had the physiques;
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they had the
athletic ability.
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They were superheroes
in the ring.
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But then, there was
constant bad news.
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The Von Erichs could
have two legacies...
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They could have the
legacy of being one of
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the biggest attractions,
wrestling families in history.
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Or they could have the
legacy as a cautionary tale.
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Von Erich is dead...
Von Erich was found dead...
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Von Erich was
seriously injured after--
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He just couldn't
take it anymore.
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I loved the wrestling
business all my life,
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but it's not that important.
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00:01:02,714 --> 00:01:05,504
Some people say, well, it's just
the pressure of the spotlight.
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Other celebrities have
been unable to cope.
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Who knew we were
gonna have, you know,
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4 major deaths over
the next 3 years.
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During their brief reign,
the Von Erich family
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ascended to
wrestling superstardom,
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but just as quickly suffered
relentless personal tragedy.
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In this episode,
the last surviving brother
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reflects on his
unimaginable journey.
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You know, I wanted to
get away from wrestling.
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I wanted to get out.
I wanted to be anonymous.
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And they say the
Pacific Ocean has no memory.
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Well, here I am in the smack dab
in the middle of it.
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No, this is it.
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It's the, the love,
and the peace,
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and the harmony.
That's--
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You can't put a price
on that, you know.
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I think I'm the richest
man in the world.
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My childhood? Well,
I was an older brother,
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and so, it was a
lot of fighting.
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I could overdo that power
of being a big brother, but...
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So, I learned not to.
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But, man, they adored me,
and I adored them.
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There was this us against
the world kind of thing.
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Please, don't think
I'm in a bad way,
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that I've suffered.
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I consider myself the
luckiest man in the world.
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These are some hunting pictures.
When we were living--
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We always hunted
with our dad,
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these were when we
were real young.
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This, we lived in a little,
this is 16 acres,
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and this little shack;
that's how we lived,
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out in the country,
when dad was wrestling.
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And then, here's a shot just
about 2 miles from this spot
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is this farm, and this is
where I raised my boys.
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My dad always said,
"Whatever you put into
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something is what
you get out of it."
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He was a really good wrestler,
a solid wrestler.
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There's no way
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I think he was the
best of all time.
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But he was a
vicious wrestler.
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Ah, my father...
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You know,
wanted something different.
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If you want to be a bad guy,
be the best.
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And so, as far as my
dad was concerned,
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a Nazi was about the most
despised creature you could be,
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and he became--
he was a Nazi.
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Fritz Von Erich
from Berlin, Germany.
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Here we go.
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He could create a lot of
heat just coming across as
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the German hitting the ring
that was gonna
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beat up all the Americans.
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My connection with the
Von Erich family is,
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I was Fritz's right-hand man.
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Fritz was the main event.
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He was a huge star
in the 50s and 60s,
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all over the country.
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If you're wondering what
qualifies me to be a
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00:03:53,581 --> 00:03:55,321
pro wrestling expert,
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almost 50 years of
obsessive collecting,
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hoarding, and research.
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00:03:59,935 --> 00:04:02,495
So, Fritz had gotten
the reputation as
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the toughest guy in Texas.
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As little kids, our dad
being the bad guy,
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we didn't see it that way.
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So, watching wrestling,
to us, was torment.
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You know, when the
crowd was cheering,
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we knew that was bad
because without a doubt,
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he was the most hated
villain of all wrestling,
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00:04:20,825 --> 00:04:23,695
and so, one brother would
have to watch while the
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00:04:23,741 --> 00:04:25,741
other brothers would
cover our ears and eyes,
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00:04:25,787 --> 00:04:27,827
and you know,
and wouldn't look.
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00:04:27,876 --> 00:04:29,266
And the other,
other brother'd say,
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00:04:29,312 --> 00:04:30,492
"Dad's winning!"
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00:04:30,531 --> 00:04:32,491
So, we'd start
watching again, you know.
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We were so into it.
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00:04:36,276 --> 00:04:38,316
Fritz also developed the,
the Iron Claw.
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00:04:38,365 --> 00:04:40,015
A blast through the Iron Claw!
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00:04:40,062 --> 00:04:41,982
Applies it as only he can.
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The Claw's a hold
that my dad invented.
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00:04:44,371 --> 00:04:48,851
The crazy thing about it is,
that after years and years
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of doing the Claw,
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you get scary, crazy good at it.
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You just grab and
you do this, you know,
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squeeze the guy in the
temples with your big hands.
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You just... That's it.
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My name is Dave Meltzer,
and I've been writing the
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00:05:03,825 --> 00:05:06,345
Wrestling Observer
Newsletter since 1982,
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00:05:06,393 --> 00:05:08,743
so it's been pretty
much my entire life.
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Fritz Von Erich was actually
wanting to get out of wrestling
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and raise his family,
and do a lot less traveling.
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It was always the goal of
wrestlers in those days to
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buy a territory,
become a promoter;
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that's where the
real money was.
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00:05:21,538 --> 00:05:23,238
Fritz had a big office,
and he's the boss,
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and he's the promoter with World
Class Championship Wrestling,
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but he was also a
very strong business person.
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Almost every wrestler
that became a promoter,
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you wanted your sons to be
great wrestlers so they can
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be the stars of
the next generation.
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I don't know that even if
he realized how big 'a stars
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they were gonna be.
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We got into wrestling
because we wanted
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to be like our dad.
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I was born into wrestling.
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One good thing
about being brothers,
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we knew exactly
what was going on.
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It was beautiful.
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Almost should be illegal,
what an upper hand
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we had on other teams...
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00:05:56,399 --> 00:05:58,579
because you know exactly
what they're thinking.
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It was a perfect storm.
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The young Von Erich
boys had debuted,
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had gotten a couple
years' experience.
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They looked great,
people knew 'em,
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and all of a sudden,
now they're on
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this new-looking program.
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everybody knew who they were.
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All of a sudden,
we're the #1 show at
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9 o'clock in the morning
on Sunday mornings.
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They said, well, let's cover
this like a sporting event.
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They would have the
cameraman and
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they would have the sound guy,
like, actually in the ring,
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you know, during the tapings.
And you'd look at it and go,
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00:06:23,905 --> 00:06:25,465
like, what's he
doing in the ring?
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'Cause no other company
would ever do that.
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We literally set the stage
of where wrestling would go.
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They came up with a comic book
where there's some bad guys
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that are trying to take
over the universe and
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they need the Von Erichs
because our hearts are so good.
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So that was just, we just
cleaned up space a little bit,
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you know, just the riff raff.
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The girls just went nuts.
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There's no telling what magazine
you would see 'em in.
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They were
teenage heart throbs.
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They were teen idols -
Kevin, Kerry, Dave.
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Going to the ring
would be like a madhouse.
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The girls'd grab
at us, you know,
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and of course,
you gotta keep going.
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And so, pretty soon
your shoulders are just,
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you know, scratched all up
and bleeding, you know.
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The place would
just go electric.
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I mean, your ears
ring when you go home,
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00:07:10,952 --> 00:07:14,522
from that shrill scream.
That was what we shot for.
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We wanted that feeling,
that intensity to
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stay that way until it was over.
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Kerry was the star.
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Kerry had the
movie star looks,
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had the physique.
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He had great personality,
just charisma.
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I've never seen anybody
that had his strength.
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David was the best
performer in the ring,
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psychology,
movement, etc., athletically.
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David used to go to the ring
with a big yellow rose and
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he was considered the
yellow rose of Texas.
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Dave was a technician.
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There was not a hold you
could surprise him with.
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Kevin, I think,
was the athlete.
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He was just insane,
the things he could do.
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He was probably by far the best
raw athlete of the bunch.
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Then, Mike.
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Mike didn't have the
size of the other brothers.
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He was real close with
his little brother, Chris.
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00:08:01,089 --> 00:08:05,619
Chris, funny, funny guy.
Just loved life.
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00:08:05,659 --> 00:08:09,529
The Von Erichs epitomized
God, family, and country.
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They're heroes.
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Completely more
popular than movie stars,
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00:08:13,144 --> 00:08:14,764
and more accessible.
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From the time the
kids were young,
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if they won an award in school,
athletic award,
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00:08:20,108 --> 00:08:21,978
it was talked about
on the television show.
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00:08:22,023 --> 00:08:24,553
And they were in wrestling
magazines with pictures,
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00:08:24,591 --> 00:08:27,071
out hunting or fishing
out in Lake Dallas
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00:08:27,115 --> 00:08:28,505
with their famous father.
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00:08:28,551 --> 00:08:30,861
They grew up in
the public eye.
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00:08:30,901 --> 00:08:33,771
they grew up on television;
that's a lot of pressure.
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00:08:33,817 --> 00:08:36,297
I'd like to say
that it was, you know,
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00:08:36,341 --> 00:08:39,561
clean cut guys, but I think
people realized we were human.
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But, you can guarantee us
that we had pure hearts,
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00:08:42,783 --> 00:08:45,393
and we had good motives,
and maybe that was
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00:08:45,437 --> 00:08:47,827
something real about us,
that we were a family and
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00:08:47,875 --> 00:08:51,095
we did love each other and
care and regard our fans
207
00:08:51,139 --> 00:08:54,189
as people and not tickets.
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00:08:54,229 --> 00:08:56,229
And so, to their fans,
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00:08:56,274 --> 00:08:58,544
they were more members of
the family in some cases.
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00:08:58,581 --> 00:09:00,801
There is something
about those boys,
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00:09:00,844 --> 00:09:02,504
every one of 'em,
that everyone loves 'em,
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00:09:02,542 --> 00:09:03,672
and I love 'em.
213
00:09:03,717 --> 00:09:05,017
So, literally,
it was almost like, I think,
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00:09:05,066 --> 00:09:07,236
everyone felt like
they were the parents and
215
00:09:07,285 --> 00:09:08,895
they had watched
these kids grow up.
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00:09:08,939 --> 00:09:10,509
They were busy on the road
'cause you gotta realize,
217
00:09:10,550 --> 00:09:12,770
it's a 365-day job.
218
00:09:12,813 --> 00:09:14,953
In other words, these guys
were wrestling everywhere,
219
00:09:14,989 --> 00:09:16,639
sometimes 2 times a day.
220
00:09:19,297 --> 00:09:21,597
The talks were already out
there that David could be
221
00:09:21,648 --> 00:09:24,038
one of the top prospects
to be the next
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00:09:24,085 --> 00:09:25,565
World Heavyweight Champion.
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00:09:25,608 --> 00:09:29,088
David was the worker.
Everybody universally said that.
224
00:09:29,133 --> 00:09:31,753
He would've been the
guy the NWA picked.
225
00:09:31,788 --> 00:09:33,788
Even before Dave
went to Japan,
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00:09:33,834 --> 00:09:35,754
he was sitting with my
mother at the table and
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00:09:35,792 --> 00:09:38,622
I said, "Dave..." I just had
that really bad feeling.
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00:09:38,665 --> 00:09:40,485
I was sitting there
looking at him, and...
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00:09:40,536 --> 00:09:44,316
Ah, was looking more
and more pale to me.
230
00:09:44,366 --> 00:09:47,366
I got a phone call,
and was asleep.
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00:09:47,412 --> 00:09:51,552
To this day, I can't stand a
phone call before daylight.
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00:09:51,591 --> 00:09:54,381
It just tears me up.
233
00:09:54,419 --> 00:09:58,469
This voice says,
"David Manning?
234
00:09:58,510 --> 00:10:00,860
Joe Higuchi,
All Japan Pro Wrestling.
235
00:10:00,904 --> 00:10:02,474
David Von Erich dead."
236
00:10:11,306 --> 00:10:14,266
And here, is after my
first knee surgery.
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00:10:14,309 --> 00:10:17,089
After my third knee surgery,
my knees were shot,
238
00:10:17,138 --> 00:10:19,438
and I had to
give up football.
239
00:10:19,488 --> 00:10:21,098
I guess Dave
was comic relief.
240
00:10:21,142 --> 00:10:23,622
My parents, they knew how
much I loved football and so,
241
00:10:23,666 --> 00:10:25,356
they said, "Dave, be careful
what you say to him.
242
00:10:25,407 --> 00:10:26,967
He just got the
worst news of his life.
243
00:10:27,017 --> 00:10:28,847
He can't play football."
And Dave comes in and said,
244
00:10:28,889 --> 00:10:32,149
"So, I heard you're a quitter."
245
00:10:32,196 --> 00:10:36,106
When Dave died, I never got
up from that all the way.
246
00:10:36,157 --> 00:10:39,457
It hit me like
no other one did.
247
00:10:39,508 --> 00:10:41,338
I say I was the
oldest brother,
248
00:10:41,379 --> 00:10:44,339
but I was the second son.
249
00:10:44,382 --> 00:10:46,602
Our oldest
brother was Jackie.
250
00:10:46,646 --> 00:10:48,126
They lived in a
trailer park because,
251
00:10:48,169 --> 00:10:49,429
since they were
always on the road,
252
00:10:49,474 --> 00:10:50,744
they had a house trailer
that they could move
253
00:10:50,780 --> 00:10:52,650
from place to place.
254
00:10:52,695 --> 00:10:55,085
You know, Jack was actually
coming home from school and
255
00:10:55,132 --> 00:10:56,572
it had snowed.
256
00:10:56,612 --> 00:10:59,882
I think he was 6 years old,
and as he was trying to
257
00:10:59,920 --> 00:11:02,570
step over the tongue or go
around the tongue of a trailer,
258
00:11:02,618 --> 00:11:05,398
he touched it.
Somehow it electrocuted him,
259
00:11:05,447 --> 00:11:09,017
and he fell in the snow
face-first and drowned.
260
00:11:09,059 --> 00:11:10,759
I was looking for him,
you know,
261
00:11:10,800 --> 00:11:12,890
a little 3-year-old kid,
and...
262
00:11:12,933 --> 00:11:14,543
looking for him, and...
263
00:11:14,586 --> 00:11:16,716
I knew something was bad
and I was like,
264
00:11:16,763 --> 00:11:20,163
watching my parents.
They were all crying.
265
00:11:20,201 --> 00:11:22,861
And, Jackie had
been electrocuted.
266
00:11:25,597 --> 00:11:28,077
Came in and saw my dad
punch a car window,
267
00:11:28,122 --> 00:11:29,342
just shattered it.
268
00:11:29,384 --> 00:11:32,044
He came out of
that different.
269
00:11:32,082 --> 00:11:34,742
He was still an honorable
man on the outside,
270
00:11:34,781 --> 00:11:36,961
but I think inside
he wanted to die.
271
00:11:37,000 --> 00:11:38,440
He was suffering.
272
00:11:38,480 --> 00:11:40,830
He thought, "What have
I done to deserve this?"
273
00:11:40,874 --> 00:11:42,754
He was at war
with the world.
274
00:11:42,789 --> 00:11:45,789
He wanted to make
everyone suffer like him.
275
00:11:45,835 --> 00:11:48,395
It was the first of
unimaginable tragedy that
276
00:11:48,446 --> 00:11:51,666
that one family
had to go through.
277
00:11:51,711 --> 00:11:53,151
When it came to
David Von Erich,
278
00:11:53,190 --> 00:11:55,450
just you know, getting the
news that he passed away,
279
00:11:55,497 --> 00:11:57,497
it was about...
280
00:11:57,542 --> 00:11:58,892
2 in the morning.
281
00:11:58,935 --> 00:12:02,285
And the phone rang and
I picked up the phone and
282
00:12:02,330 --> 00:12:06,160
this voice says,
"David Von Erich dead".
283
00:12:06,203 --> 00:12:08,423
And I said,
"So, what happened?"
284
00:12:08,466 --> 00:12:10,466
"We find in room dead."
285
00:12:10,512 --> 00:12:11,772
It's 2:30 in the morning and
286
00:12:11,818 --> 00:12:13,688
I'm trying to decide,
how do I get this news.
287
00:12:13,733 --> 00:12:15,263
Back then there
weren't cellphones.
288
00:12:15,299 --> 00:12:17,429
And so, I got in my car, and -
I'll never forget -
289
00:12:17,475 --> 00:12:20,295
it was just coming daylight,
and as I pulled in,
290
00:12:20,348 --> 00:12:23,528
I could see Fritz in front of
the motor coach in the window.
291
00:12:23,568 --> 00:12:26,268
And I got out of the car,
and I walked to the door,
292
00:12:26,310 --> 00:12:28,490
and he opened the door
to the motor coach and
293
00:12:28,530 --> 00:12:30,660
he looked at me and he said,
"Which one?"
294
00:12:32,273 --> 00:12:34,843
So, I think he knew, for me
to go all the way down there,
295
00:12:34,884 --> 00:12:37,024
it's something
very, very serious.
296
00:12:37,060 --> 00:12:39,850
I said, "Fritz, they just
called me from Japan.
297
00:12:39,889 --> 00:12:41,669
David's dead."
298
00:12:44,111 --> 00:12:46,241
My mother, she'd been told,
and she just went
299
00:12:46,287 --> 00:12:49,587
running off into the woods.
It was barely day break.
300
00:12:49,638 --> 00:12:53,418
My dad just... walked outside
and stared at the sky.
301
00:12:53,468 --> 00:12:55,208
I went a little crazy.
302
00:12:55,252 --> 00:12:56,862
I didn't want
to see anybody.
303
00:12:56,906 --> 00:13:01,646
I had to be in the woods
and I stayed in the woods too.
304
00:13:01,693 --> 00:13:04,443
Fritz said, "You go to town,
you make the phone calls.
305
00:13:04,479 --> 00:13:06,219
You find out what
happened to my boy."
306
00:13:06,263 --> 00:13:07,613
I managed to get
a hold of Brody,
307
00:13:07,656 --> 00:13:10,086
who was also a, you know,
legendary wrestler,
308
00:13:10,137 --> 00:13:11,657
popular in Japan.
309
00:13:11,703 --> 00:13:14,233
Brody said that when
they opened the door,
310
00:13:14,271 --> 00:13:15,531
the way he was laying,
it looked like
311
00:13:15,577 --> 00:13:17,227
he was trying to
get to the phone.
312
00:13:17,274 --> 00:13:20,324
I knew Brody always to be
so tough and such a
313
00:13:20,364 --> 00:13:24,374
strong good man,
but when he was telling me,
314
00:13:24,412 --> 00:13:27,722
he was like [stammering]...
he couldn't talk, you know.
315
00:13:27,763 --> 00:13:30,113
He's crying inside.
I never saw Brody cry.
316
00:13:30,157 --> 00:13:32,897
And he goes I said,
"Frank! Don't think about it.
317
00:13:32,942 --> 00:13:34,772
Don't think
about it, Frank!"
318
00:13:34,814 --> 00:13:37,644
And he goes,
"He's dead, Kev."
319
00:13:37,686 --> 00:13:41,596
And I went, "Frank!"
God, it was terrible.
320
00:13:41,646 --> 00:13:43,426
The next day,
after Dave had died,
321
00:13:43,474 --> 00:13:45,784
you know, going to the mall
in Wichita Falls, Texas,
322
00:13:45,825 --> 00:13:48,825
and you see like
these like teenage girls,
323
00:13:48,871 --> 00:13:50,921
and they're all crying, and
the guys are consoling them.
324
00:13:50,960 --> 00:13:53,880
It was a big fricking deal
in that part of the country.
325
00:13:53,920 --> 00:13:57,140
It was almost like the
fans had lost a son.
326
00:13:57,184 --> 00:13:59,454
I mean, it was emotional on
2 continents because the
327
00:13:59,490 --> 00:14:02,540
Japanese fans were so hung up
in wrestling that
328
00:14:02,580 --> 00:14:05,710
when a big name foreign
wrestler dies on their soil,
329
00:14:05,757 --> 00:14:09,237
I mean, there was memorials
and the guys were broken up.
330
00:14:09,283 --> 00:14:12,763
I remember that airplane coming
in with Dave's coffin on it.
331
00:14:12,808 --> 00:14:16,288
No one would look us in the eye
because they knew we all hurt.
332
00:14:16,333 --> 00:14:20,253
We hurt so bad.
And people hurt for us, too.
333
00:14:20,294 --> 00:14:22,304
The funeral was just insane.
334
00:14:22,339 --> 00:14:24,249
It was like one of those
old funerals of
335
00:14:24,298 --> 00:14:25,868
the silent movie stars.
336
00:14:25,908 --> 00:14:27,868
There was a lot of wrestlers
right here in this area.
337
00:14:27,910 --> 00:14:29,220
When they went
to the funeral,
338
00:14:29,259 --> 00:14:31,389
the tears flowed.
It was, it was hard to take.
339
00:14:31,435 --> 00:14:35,565
And so, we estimated
probably 4 to 5,000 people,
340
00:14:35,613 --> 00:14:37,623
showed up for this service.
341
00:14:37,659 --> 00:14:40,579
It was just beautiful,
expression of love.
342
00:14:40,618 --> 00:14:41,708
The schools let out.
343
00:14:41,750 --> 00:14:43,880
The Texas
legislature convened.
344
00:14:43,926 --> 00:14:47,146
It was like...
Texas got hurt that day.
345
00:14:47,190 --> 00:14:48,670
You couldn't get
anybody else in.
346
00:14:48,713 --> 00:14:52,633
They literally had to
put a screen outside and,
347
00:14:52,674 --> 00:14:55,854
and speakers outside for
the thousands of people
348
00:14:55,895 --> 00:14:57,455
that were there.
349
00:14:57,505 --> 00:15:01,805
I didn't know that we were
that big, I guess.
350
00:15:01,857 --> 00:15:05,687
Inside the business, we heard
that he'd passed away
351
00:15:05,730 --> 00:15:07,600
in his hotel room in Japan;
352
00:15:07,645 --> 00:15:10,335
that generally only
means one thing...
353
00:15:10,387 --> 00:15:12,997
There's all this word
out that he overdosed,
354
00:15:13,042 --> 00:15:15,392
but there's no
doubt that he didn't.
355
00:15:15,436 --> 00:15:17,566
One of the biggest rumors
out there was that
356
00:15:17,612 --> 00:15:20,752
when Brody found him,
Brody threw away all the pills.
357
00:15:20,789 --> 00:15:24,049
And we waited to hear
that autopsy report.
358
00:15:24,097 --> 00:15:27,097
Fritz was adamant, "I want
to know what the autopsy says,
359
00:15:27,143 --> 00:15:28,363
and whatever it says,
360
00:15:28,405 --> 00:15:29,745
that's what we're gonna
have to put out."
361
00:15:29,798 --> 00:15:32,838
And, it came back,
acute enteritis.
362
00:15:32,888 --> 00:15:35,108
His intestines,
basically from an infection,
363
00:15:35,151 --> 00:15:37,371
swole up to the
point they ruptured.
364
00:15:37,414 --> 00:15:39,684
his body filled up with blood
and heart failure
365
00:15:39,721 --> 00:15:43,641
About 2 days or a day before he
was gonna leave to go to Japan,
366
00:15:43,681 --> 00:15:44,991
he was throwing up.
367
00:15:45,031 --> 00:15:46,121
Fritz was very stern about,
368
00:15:46,162 --> 00:15:47,642
you make the shows
you're booked at.
369
00:15:47,685 --> 00:15:49,765
So, he left and
went over there.
370
00:15:49,818 --> 00:15:51,208
No, I'm telling you
what really happened.
371
00:15:51,254 --> 00:15:54,344
We're not big shots that
told the country of Japan
372
00:15:54,388 --> 00:15:56,998
to falsify those documents,
you know.
373
00:15:57,043 --> 00:15:58,703
I'm a wrestler.
You're not gonna...
374
00:15:58,740 --> 00:16:00,090
no one's gonna
listen to me for that.
375
00:16:00,133 --> 00:16:03,483
It was gastro enteritis,
a terrible way to die.
376
00:16:03,527 --> 00:16:05,747
And we lost him.
377
00:16:17,715 --> 00:16:20,585
Every man's gonna die...
378
00:16:20,631 --> 00:16:22,461
But we do our best...
379
00:16:23,808 --> 00:16:25,808
We do our best
'til that day comes.
380
00:16:25,854 --> 00:16:28,034
We had a guy
named Glen Goza.
381
00:16:28,074 --> 00:16:30,084
And he had wrote,
"Heaven Needs a Champion,"
382
00:16:30,119 --> 00:16:33,079
and he literally put a song of,
"there's a main event
383
00:16:33,122 --> 00:16:35,082
taking place in heaven
and God brought
384
00:16:35,124 --> 00:16:37,434
David Von Erich there
to be the star."
385
00:16:37,474 --> 00:16:41,394
♪ YOU WORE THE FAMILY
NAME WITH PRIDE... ♪
386
00:16:41,435 --> 00:16:43,735
David Von Erich, as a
person and as a wrestler,
387
00:16:43,785 --> 00:16:45,265
was a true champion.
388
00:16:45,308 --> 00:16:48,088
He had a great gift and he
knew how to take it to the,
389
00:16:48,137 --> 00:16:50,047
to its fullest.
390
00:16:50,096 --> 00:16:52,746
After David's funeral,
Fritz would hold the
391
00:16:52,794 --> 00:16:55,754
Parade of Champions event
in his son's honor,
392
00:16:55,797 --> 00:16:58,797
which at the time, attracted
the largest crowd ever to
393
00:16:58,843 --> 00:17:01,893
watch a wrestling event
in the United States.
394
00:17:01,933 --> 00:17:06,113
There will be a new
World's Heavyweight Champion
395
00:17:06,155 --> 00:17:08,715
crowned on that afternoon.
396
00:17:08,766 --> 00:17:11,376
The brother of
David Von Erich - Kerry -
397
00:17:11,421 --> 00:17:13,821
was going to challenge
"Nature Boy" Ric Flair
398
00:17:13,858 --> 00:17:16,768
for the NWA World Championship
that had always eluded
399
00:17:16,818 --> 00:17:19,208
the Von Erich family,
and this time he said,
400
00:17:19,255 --> 00:17:20,815
"I'm gonna win it for David."
401
00:17:20,865 --> 00:17:24,085
We were adamant.
With the NWA -
402
00:17:24,130 --> 00:17:27,180
National Wrestling Alliance -
we had to switch that title.
403
00:17:27,220 --> 00:17:30,440
I think that's where we
saw Fritz had some clout.
404
00:17:30,484 --> 00:17:33,574
The dream of my brother
is now my reality.
405
00:17:33,617 --> 00:17:36,007
Leading up to that match,
we knew it was gonna be big;
406
00:17:36,055 --> 00:17:37,615
we didn't know how big.
407
00:17:39,536 --> 00:17:43,106
But all of a sudden, you got
42-plus-thousand people
408
00:17:43,149 --> 00:17:46,979
at Texas Stadium, and they're
there to see one thing...
409
00:17:47,022 --> 00:17:48,722
that title change.
410
00:17:48,763 --> 00:17:50,593
Your referee is
David Manning.
411
00:17:50,634 --> 00:17:53,034
Here I knew I was gonna go
412
00:17:53,072 --> 00:17:54,682
the title was
changing that night.
413
00:17:54,725 --> 00:17:56,465
I was super happy for Kerry.
414
00:17:56,510 --> 00:17:58,210
I thought he'd make
a great champion.
415
00:17:58,251 --> 00:18:00,251
Here we go!
416
00:18:00,296 --> 00:18:01,906
It was incredible.
417
00:18:03,299 --> 00:18:04,819
It's the Iron Claw!
418
00:18:04,866 --> 00:18:07,036
You can feel the pinching.
419
00:18:07,086 --> 00:18:09,346
And when,
whenever that 1, 2...
420
00:18:15,572 --> 00:18:17,922
The whole place
just went nuts.
421
00:18:17,966 --> 00:18:20,446
And then you got
Kevin hitting the ring,
422
00:18:20,490 --> 00:18:21,970
you got Fritz
hitting the ring.
423
00:18:22,013 --> 00:18:23,583
You can see Doris
in the background.
424
00:18:23,624 --> 00:18:26,064
I'm presenting the belt,
the media's going crazy.
425
00:18:26,105 --> 00:18:27,575
We had all the
radio stations there.
426
00:18:27,628 --> 00:18:29,848
The yellow rose...
427
00:18:29,891 --> 00:18:31,681
in honor of brother David.
428
00:18:31,719 --> 00:18:34,159
It was a great night,
and not bitter sweet at all.
429
00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:35,590
Sweet-sweet.
430
00:18:35,636 --> 00:18:39,066
That was probably a bigger
deal to the Von Erich boys
431
00:18:39,118 --> 00:18:42,338
than it was to Fritz, himself,
and to the fans.
432
00:18:42,382 --> 00:18:44,822
With Kerry's
championship win and
433
00:18:44,862 --> 00:18:47,212
a strong emotional
bond with fans,
434
00:18:47,256 --> 00:18:50,996
World Class Championship
Wrestling was now on fire.
435
00:18:51,042 --> 00:18:54,702
But with David gone,
there was a void to fill.
436
00:18:54,742 --> 00:18:57,442
Fritz wanted to replace
David because
437
00:18:57,484 --> 00:18:59,184
we were missing
a piece of the puzzle,
438
00:18:59,225 --> 00:19:03,265
and we decided to look
for another Von Erich.
439
00:19:03,316 --> 00:19:05,356
Whenever I saw Lance,
he was the perfect guy.
440
00:19:05,405 --> 00:19:06,535
He was chiseled.
441
00:19:06,580 --> 00:19:07,970
He looked like he
could be a Von Erich.
442
00:19:08,016 --> 00:19:10,186
It was a terrible idea.
It was--
443
00:19:10,236 --> 00:19:11,926
We had never
lied to our people.
444
00:19:11,976 --> 00:19:14,756
It really hurt their
image and it started the,
445
00:19:14,805 --> 00:19:17,325
the downward spiral of
going a little bit quicker.
446
00:19:17,373 --> 00:19:20,123
They knew he wasn't
a real Von Erich.
447
00:19:20,159 --> 00:19:22,419
They're lying to us.
448
00:19:22,465 --> 00:19:24,115
Lance.
449
00:19:29,516 --> 00:19:31,336
Growing up, of course,
we wanted to be just like him.
450
00:19:31,387 --> 00:19:33,687
He's like real-life Tarzan.
You know, climbing trees.
451
00:19:33,737 --> 00:19:35,997
Any river he sees,
he gets out of the car.
452
00:19:36,044 --> 00:19:37,924
He'll dive in it,
didn't care what's in it.
453
00:19:37,959 --> 00:19:40,919
We saw that fearlessness
in every situation,
454
00:19:40,962 --> 00:19:43,312
not only in the ring,
but in life and...
455
00:19:43,356 --> 00:19:46,226
you know, that's what we wanted
to be like and it's, it's--
456
00:19:46,272 --> 00:19:48,322
We're just grateful to God
that we can,
457
00:19:48,361 --> 00:19:50,151
that we can follow in
the footsteps and
458
00:19:50,189 --> 00:19:51,579
doors are opening in wrestling.
459
00:19:51,625 --> 00:19:53,185
And, you know,
and we get to, you know,
460
00:19:53,235 --> 00:19:56,235
pick up where the
Von Erichs left off.
461
00:19:56,282 --> 00:19:58,982
Kevin and I talk. You know,
I go to Hawaii and see him.
462
00:19:59,023 --> 00:20:01,903
He's got 2 great boys now,
Marshall and Ross.
463
00:20:01,939 --> 00:20:03,589
Gosh, they're so talented.
464
00:20:03,637 --> 00:20:05,507
And when I look at them,
I see the brothers.
465
00:20:08,859 --> 00:20:10,169
Thanks, son.
466
00:20:10,209 --> 00:20:12,079
Can you tell us the story
about Lance Von Erich?
467
00:20:12,123 --> 00:20:13,693
Yeah. Ah...
468
00:20:13,734 --> 00:20:16,174
Kerry and I were
dead set against that.
469
00:20:16,215 --> 00:20:19,435
Of all of the angles that
happened in the final years
470
00:20:19,479 --> 00:20:22,959
of World Class Wrestling,
Lance Von Erich was the worst.
471
00:20:23,004 --> 00:20:25,224
They needed
another Von Erich.
472
00:20:25,267 --> 00:20:27,567
Overall, it did a
lot more damage than,
473
00:20:27,617 --> 00:20:29,007
than it did good.
474
00:20:29,053 --> 00:20:30,883
And then, when they got
on the outs with Lance and
475
00:20:30,925 --> 00:20:33,095
tried to disown him,
the fans just said,
476
00:20:33,144 --> 00:20:35,844
"Well, you're the ones that
brought him and sold him to us!"
477
00:20:35,886 --> 00:20:38,316
That's where, I think,
people lost a lot of faith.
478
00:20:38,367 --> 00:20:40,587
I have to say, Kevin
was dead set against it.
479
00:20:40,630 --> 00:20:43,420
He felt it could get exposed
and that Mike would be able
480
00:20:43,459 --> 00:20:45,899
to step up and
take the role.
481
00:20:45,940 --> 00:20:48,290
People shouldn't say
that Mike wasn't an athlete
482
00:20:48,334 --> 00:20:49,604
because he sure was.
483
00:20:49,639 --> 00:20:51,819
Mike was an
incredible athlete.
484
00:20:51,859 --> 00:20:54,859
The 4th Von Erich is getting
ready to start wrestling.
485
00:20:57,386 --> 00:20:59,816
Mike got involved in
wrestling and he wanted
486
00:20:59,867 --> 00:21:01,647
to have the size as
the other brothers,
487
00:21:01,695 --> 00:21:03,085
and he worked out hard.
488
00:21:03,131 --> 00:21:05,701
You know, he had the drive,
he had the stamina,
489
00:21:05,742 --> 00:21:07,272
so it was hard for Mike.
490
00:21:07,309 --> 00:21:08,919
Mike was a great guy,
491
00:21:08,963 --> 00:21:11,183
but he wasn't cut out
to be a wrestler.
492
00:21:11,226 --> 00:21:13,316
Mike had to walk in there
and be David Von Erich,
493
00:21:13,359 --> 00:21:16,009
and be a main event wrestler
at 19, 20 years old,
494
00:21:16,057 --> 00:21:17,887
and he wasn't a
great athlete.
495
00:21:17,928 --> 00:21:19,278
The only thing he had
going for him is that
496
00:21:19,321 --> 00:21:22,591
he was called Mike Von Erich.
497
00:21:22,629 --> 00:21:24,409
I mean, he just didn't
look like a wrestler at all,
498
00:21:24,457 --> 00:21:26,627
and he's in there with
like Ric Flair and these
499
00:21:26,676 --> 00:21:29,546
big great wrestlers
who are just carrying him
500
00:21:29,592 --> 00:21:32,512
in these matches that are just
painful, in a sense, to watch.
501
00:21:32,552 --> 00:21:35,032
The injuries did
bother him, you know.
502
00:21:35,076 --> 00:21:37,596
He was wrestling
in Tel Aviv, and ah...
503
00:21:37,644 --> 00:21:39,304
against Gino Hernandez.
504
00:21:39,341 --> 00:21:44,001
Gino pulled just when he wasn't
ready and out it came, and...
505
00:21:44,041 --> 00:21:46,571
this time it tore a
lot of ligaments.
506
00:21:46,609 --> 00:21:48,609
Only a year
after David's death,
507
00:21:48,655 --> 00:21:51,135
Mike dislocates his
shoulder in the ring
508
00:21:51,179 --> 00:21:53,959
and is rushed to an
Israeli hospital.
509
00:21:54,008 --> 00:21:55,748
They perform
emergency surgery,
510
00:21:55,792 --> 00:21:59,452
and soon after,
Mike is flown back to Texas.
511
00:21:59,492 --> 00:22:01,192
They literally
took him home,
512
00:22:01,232 --> 00:22:03,632
and all of a sudden,
his temperature is sky high.
513
00:22:03,670 --> 00:22:06,190
The fever hitting,
went over 105,
514
00:22:06,237 --> 00:22:08,107
is what did the
damage, I think.
515
00:22:08,152 --> 00:22:10,202
I put him over my shoulder
and walked down the steps
516
00:22:10,241 --> 00:22:13,111
with him, put him in
the car and took off.
517
00:22:13,157 --> 00:22:16,507
Mike Von Erich hospitalized for
routine shoulder surgery,
518
00:22:16,552 --> 00:22:19,252
sustained a staph
infection that escalated
519
00:22:19,294 --> 00:22:22,174
into Toxic Shock Syndrome.
520
00:22:22,210 --> 00:22:26,350
It was Toxic Shock Syndrome,
what they called it.
521
00:22:26,388 --> 00:22:28,388
And the doctor comes out,
and he said,
522
00:22:28,434 --> 00:22:29,834
"His blood pressure has
plummeted and
523
00:22:29,870 --> 00:22:31,390
his organs are starting
to shut down."
524
00:22:31,437 --> 00:22:34,737
He said, "We've done
everything we can do."
525
00:22:34,788 --> 00:22:36,138
He said, "I don't think
Mike's gonna make it
526
00:22:36,180 --> 00:22:37,490
through the night."
527
00:22:37,530 --> 00:22:40,620
And they told us,
"Say goodbye to him."
528
00:22:40,663 --> 00:22:44,193
The hospital was getting
like 250 calls an hour
529
00:22:44,232 --> 00:22:46,582
where they had to
hire extra staff.
530
00:22:46,626 --> 00:22:48,186
People had been
offering to donate
531
00:22:48,236 --> 00:22:51,236
their liver and their kidneys.
532
00:22:51,282 --> 00:22:53,422
We were in the room
and Gary Holder,
533
00:22:53,459 --> 00:22:55,679
who was considered the
chaplain of World Class,
534
00:22:55,722 --> 00:22:57,252
was there in the room.
535
00:22:57,288 --> 00:23:00,938
Gary Holder said,
"God, you stand on your word.
536
00:23:00,988 --> 00:23:03,818
You said anything we
ask in Jesus' name,
537
00:23:03,860 --> 00:23:05,860
'I will do it'."
538
00:23:05,906 --> 00:23:07,946
That's when I
didn't even look up.
539
00:23:07,995 --> 00:23:09,555
I thought,
that's disrespectful.
540
00:23:09,605 --> 00:23:11,035
You went too far.
541
00:23:11,085 --> 00:23:14,175
He took the Bible and he
slammed it down on the table.
542
00:23:14,218 --> 00:23:16,568
And he said, "God,
there is your word."
543
00:23:16,612 --> 00:23:18,922
"So, keep your word, God."
544
00:23:18,962 --> 00:23:21,442
And, it was less than
30 seconds after
545
00:23:21,487 --> 00:23:23,707
Gary finished praying,
the doors opened.
546
00:23:23,750 --> 00:23:26,320
Bill Sutger came in the
room with this other doctor,
547
00:23:26,361 --> 00:23:28,891
and his exact words were,
548
00:23:28,929 --> 00:23:32,669
"I'm not sure what happened,
but everything's functioning.
549
00:23:32,715 --> 00:23:35,935
His temperature has dropped,
so let's see where we're at."
550
00:23:35,979 --> 00:23:38,769
They couldn't believe it,
but he, he's a fighter.
551
00:23:38,808 --> 00:23:41,548
And I want to thank
everyone out there,
552
00:23:41,594 --> 00:23:43,774
all my good neighbors,
for your prayers.
553
00:23:43,813 --> 00:23:46,473
One week later, we rolled
Mike out of the hospital.
554
00:23:46,512 --> 00:23:48,042
He might have
rushed it a little bit.
555
00:23:48,078 --> 00:23:49,648
He was so
anxious to get back.
556
00:23:49,689 --> 00:23:51,869
And so, we did a
big press conference.
557
00:23:51,908 --> 00:23:55,908
I, I, I know I'll be back.
558
00:23:55,956 --> 00:23:59,606
I can't wait 'til the Cotton
Bowl 'cause I'm gonna be there.
559
00:23:59,655 --> 00:24:01,735
Do you have a
message for your fans?
560
00:24:01,788 --> 00:24:05,568
Yeah, be at Cotton Bowl if
they want to see me back,
561
00:24:05,618 --> 00:24:07,578
my very first time.
562
00:24:07,620 --> 00:24:10,670
I saw on TV, well, "Mike's
gonna come back," and Mike--
563
00:24:10,710 --> 00:24:11,930
And they were milking
to it and trying to
564
00:24:11,972 --> 00:24:13,972
get people interested in it.
565
00:24:14,017 --> 00:24:16,407
I just didn't see
how it was gonna work.
566
00:24:16,455 --> 00:24:17,925
And when he first
came back, it was like,
567
00:24:17,978 --> 00:24:19,498
"God, I don't know if he should
come back and wrestle."
568
00:24:19,545 --> 00:24:21,285
He probably shouldn't
have wrestled to begin with.
569
00:24:21,329 --> 00:24:25,199
He looked really gaunt
and hollow.
570
00:24:25,246 --> 00:24:27,116
I wondered if there
was some brain damage.
571
00:24:27,161 --> 00:24:29,821
And that's when he
attacked a stop light.
572
00:24:29,859 --> 00:24:32,469
Attacked a parked car
one time. Just...
573
00:24:32,514 --> 00:24:35,214
Rages, you know.
Nobody in the parked car.
574
00:24:35,256 --> 00:24:38,516
But, they always wanted a
feel-good story at the end,
575
00:24:38,564 --> 00:24:41,784
and it always worked when it was
stuff that they could write.
576
00:24:41,828 --> 00:24:45,958
But when it was real life and
they couldn't control it, it...
577
00:24:46,006 --> 00:24:47,306
It didn't work.
578
00:24:47,355 --> 00:24:48,915
You gotta realize,
when Mike came on the scene,
579
00:24:48,965 --> 00:24:51,965
the, the brothers
were superstars.
580
00:24:52,012 --> 00:24:53,972
So, all of a sudden,
you had big shoes to fill.
581
00:24:54,014 --> 00:24:56,764
And I think that was a lot
of pressure that went on Mike.
582
00:24:56,799 --> 00:24:59,409
And early Saturday morning,
Von Erich was arrested on
583
00:24:59,454 --> 00:25:02,814
suspicion of drunken driving
and possession of marijuana.
584
00:25:02,849 --> 00:25:05,369
The Von Erich family
attorney assisted Mike
585
00:25:05,416 --> 00:25:07,376
during his
release from jail.
586
00:25:07,418 --> 00:25:10,418
He would be the last
person to see him alive.
587
00:25:10,465 --> 00:25:11,805
Mike missed an event.
588
00:25:11,858 --> 00:25:13,988
If you were a Von Erich,
you didn't miss an event.
589
00:25:14,034 --> 00:25:15,604
I remember that night,
590
00:25:15,644 --> 00:25:18,304
wondering where Mike was,
what he was thinking.
591
00:25:18,342 --> 00:25:20,782
They had a
bulletin out everywhere,
592
00:25:20,823 --> 00:25:22,093
had all the police looking.
593
00:25:22,129 --> 00:25:25,259
And, it was, I want to say,
2 days, maybe 3,
594
00:25:25,306 --> 00:25:26,736
before they found Mike.
595
00:25:26,786 --> 00:25:29,266
The news of another tragic
death in the Von Erich family
596
00:25:29,310 --> 00:25:30,660
has hit hard.
597
00:25:30,703 --> 00:25:32,573
Mike had not been seen
since Saturday, and reportedly,
598
00:25:32,618 --> 00:25:35,318
was depressed about being
arrested the night before.
599
00:25:35,359 --> 00:25:37,009
As his mother and
brother looked on,
600
00:25:37,057 --> 00:25:39,187
the family's worst
fears were confirmed.
601
00:25:39,233 --> 00:25:41,243
Professional wrestler
Mike Von Erich is dead,
602
00:25:41,278 --> 00:25:44,798
the apparent
victim of suicide.
603
00:25:44,847 --> 00:25:47,977
He overdosed.
So sad.
604
00:25:48,024 --> 00:25:51,724
Everybody was just so sad.
Dave, and now Mike.
605
00:25:54,030 --> 00:25:56,340
You know, I didn't know this
was gonna get so emotional.
606
00:25:56,380 --> 00:25:58,600
Maybe I got-- I'm tired.
607
00:25:58,644 --> 00:26:00,954
These are 3 big things,
I guess.
608
00:26:02,212 --> 00:26:03,872
You guys... Um...
609
00:26:03,910 --> 00:26:06,870
Could I take another break
for just about 10 minutes?
610
00:26:06,913 --> 00:26:10,663
- Oh yeah, of course.
- That was taxing.
611
00:26:12,875 --> 00:26:14,695
And once again,
another Von Erich brother
612
00:26:14,747 --> 00:26:17,177
is called upon to step
into the ring.
613
00:26:17,227 --> 00:26:20,397
Chris Von Erich was the
worst part of the whole thing
614
00:26:20,448 --> 00:26:22,618
because he had
had health problems.
615
00:26:22,668 --> 00:26:24,758
I'm sure he wanted to be
like his brothers 'cause
616
00:26:24,800 --> 00:26:26,370
his brothers were his heroes.
617
00:26:26,410 --> 00:26:28,630
Kevin was actually
helping Chris work out.
618
00:26:28,674 --> 00:26:30,944
He had to work 10 times
harder than everybody else.
619
00:26:30,980 --> 00:26:33,030
His body wasn't
built like his brothers.
620
00:26:33,069 --> 00:26:35,069
He wanted to be a
wrestler so bad.
621
00:26:35,115 --> 00:26:37,935
He just,
it's not gonna happen.
622
00:26:37,987 --> 00:26:39,947
The Von Erichs were
believable heroes
623
00:26:39,989 --> 00:26:42,599
to thousands of fans.
624
00:26:42,644 --> 00:26:46,394
But continual misfortune
chipped away at their image,
625
00:26:46,430 --> 00:26:50,090
and they would have one last
desperate attempt to revive it.
626
00:26:55,526 --> 00:26:57,046
My brothers taught me
about wrestling,
627
00:26:57,093 --> 00:26:58,793
but I taught
them about eating.
628
00:26:58,834 --> 00:27:00,884
Mike was really
something special.
629
00:27:00,923 --> 00:27:03,973
- I thought you were full?
- These are for dad!
630
00:27:04,013 --> 00:27:05,153
And we did a few
TV commercials,
631
00:27:05,188 --> 00:27:06,798
shot it all night.
632
00:27:06,842 --> 00:27:10,022
For a joke, Kerry puts all these
foot products over in my thing.
633
00:27:10,063 --> 00:27:11,243
I didn't even notice it.
634
00:27:11,281 --> 00:27:13,891
This is a gift from a fan,
out here.
635
00:27:13,936 --> 00:27:15,366
Really old picture.
636
00:27:15,416 --> 00:27:17,326
We loved our fans,
and to this day,
637
00:27:17,374 --> 00:27:19,294
the most loyal
people in the world.
638
00:27:19,333 --> 00:27:21,253
We wanted to be like good
639
00:27:21,291 --> 00:27:23,691
and be good examples to kids.
640
00:27:23,729 --> 00:27:26,859
And, you know, after Dave's
death and Mike's death,
641
00:27:26,906 --> 00:27:29,686
you feel like you're
letting everybody down.
642
00:27:29,735 --> 00:27:31,035
It's, it's really hard.
643
00:27:31,084 --> 00:27:32,964
With this being the
third death in the family,
644
00:27:32,999 --> 00:27:34,999
and being such a
strong Christian family,
645
00:27:35,044 --> 00:27:36,744
I think the first thing
everybody wants to do
646
00:27:36,785 --> 00:27:38,735
is question, "Well, if they're
such strong Christians,
647
00:27:38,787 --> 00:27:40,307
why is all this
happening to 'em?"
648
00:27:40,354 --> 00:27:42,144
I'm not saying that the boys
didn't believe in God and
649
00:27:42,182 --> 00:27:44,582
weren't religious.
They just sometimes
650
00:27:44,619 --> 00:27:46,579
didn't do things outside
the ring that way.
651
00:27:46,621 --> 00:27:48,581
And I don't mean they were
terrorizing the population.
652
00:27:48,623 --> 00:27:51,023
They were damaging themselves
more than anybody else.
653
00:27:51,060 --> 00:27:53,320
But, because they were so
closely identified as
654
00:27:53,367 --> 00:27:55,497
not only being Texas
all-Americans,
655
00:27:55,543 --> 00:27:57,553
but God fearing
Texas all-Americans,
656
00:27:57,588 --> 00:28:01,458
when things came out about
car wrecks, or suicides,
657
00:28:01,505 --> 00:28:03,805
or... is there drugs
involved in these things,
658
00:28:03,856 --> 00:28:07,206
or whatever, every move was
covered by the newspapers.
659
00:28:07,250 --> 00:28:10,340
The Dallas Times Herald,
the local television stations,
660
00:28:10,384 --> 00:28:12,524
and you could tell when you
watched the television show,
661
00:28:12,560 --> 00:28:14,000
you're seeing
more empty seats.
662
00:28:14,040 --> 00:28:16,260
You know, like, look -
they were huge in '86,
663
00:28:16,303 --> 00:28:20,793
and by '88, '89 they were,
they were pretty bad off.
664
00:28:20,829 --> 00:28:23,919
After so much tragedy,
and with a family legacy
665
00:28:23,963 --> 00:28:27,493
in jeopardy,
Fritz's youngest son, Chris,
666
00:28:27,531 --> 00:28:29,971
steps into the ring,
attempting to pick up
667
00:28:30,012 --> 00:28:31,932
where his brothers left off.
668
00:28:31,971 --> 00:28:33,411
I think Chris felt bad.
669
00:28:33,450 --> 00:28:35,930
He wanted to try
to fill the shoes,
670
00:28:35,975 --> 00:28:38,755
that it was almost impossible
to fill based on his size.
671
00:28:38,804 --> 00:28:41,154
The first I remember
of Chris was, you know,
672
00:28:41,197 --> 00:28:42,587
him just being
like a little celebrity.
673
00:28:42,633 --> 00:28:45,513
The goal was to hopefully
find a way to get Chris
674
00:28:45,549 --> 00:28:47,029
involved into the matches.
675
00:28:47,073 --> 00:28:48,423
If he was gonna wrestle,
I want to hand him
676
00:28:48,465 --> 00:28:49,945
a really good ground game.
677
00:28:49,989 --> 00:28:52,249
You know, all the
escapes and counters,
678
00:28:52,295 --> 00:28:53,985
and to be a technician.
679
00:28:54,036 --> 00:28:56,466
Physically, in no way,
should he have been
680
00:28:56,517 --> 00:28:57,687
involved in wrestling.
681
00:28:57,736 --> 00:29:00,216
Because of his size,
I think he had asthma.
682
00:29:00,260 --> 00:29:01,780
He had brittle bones because
of the asthma medication
683
00:29:01,827 --> 00:29:02,827
that he took.
684
00:29:02,871 --> 00:29:05,481
It was really hard for him.
685
00:29:05,526 --> 00:29:07,526
Wanted have the big
muscles and all that,
686
00:29:07,571 --> 00:29:10,051
but muscles are just looks.
687
00:29:10,096 --> 00:29:14,396
You've got to have agility,
explosive, balance, snap,
688
00:29:14,448 --> 00:29:18,708
all these things that just
didn't happen for him.
689
00:29:18,757 --> 00:29:22,937
And then, all of a sudden,
Chris broke his arm.
690
00:29:22,978 --> 00:29:26,848
He couldn't work out.
It was a big, big setback.
691
00:29:26,895 --> 00:29:28,375
Kevin was down there.
692
00:29:28,418 --> 00:29:30,158
They were down at
the house in Edom,
693
00:29:30,203 --> 00:29:32,993
and Chris was just all
upset and depressed,
694
00:29:33,032 --> 00:29:34,162
and this and that.
695
00:29:34,207 --> 00:29:36,427
He'd loaned me
his VCR, and so,
696
00:29:36,470 --> 00:29:39,210
he called me at
like 12:30 that night.
697
00:29:39,255 --> 00:29:40,735
"I want my VCR
back right now."
698
00:29:40,779 --> 00:29:43,389
I said, "Chris, come on.
Wait for the morning, okay?
699
00:29:43,433 --> 00:29:44,743
I'll give it to you
in the morning."
700
00:29:44,783 --> 00:29:47,613
And, I hear his 4-wheeler
drive around my house
701
00:29:47,655 --> 00:29:50,475
a couple times and took off.
702
00:29:50,527 --> 00:29:54,227
I knew he had a spot up on
the hill he used to go to,
703
00:29:54,270 --> 00:29:55,840
so I drove up there,
you know.
704
00:29:55,881 --> 00:29:57,491
He was sitting there
by himself. I said,
705
00:29:57,534 --> 00:30:00,284
"Chris, what are you doing up
here by yourself like this?"
706
00:30:00,320 --> 00:30:02,540
He said, "Well,
did you read my note?"
707
00:30:02,583 --> 00:30:04,063
I said, "Oh, what
are you gonna do?
708
00:30:04,106 --> 00:30:05,926
Kill yourself or something,
Chris? Come on now, bud."
709
00:30:05,978 --> 00:30:08,198
I said, "Chris, don't do
anything crazy, okay?"
710
00:30:08,241 --> 00:30:10,681
He said, "I won't, Kev.
I promise."
711
00:30:10,721 --> 00:30:13,511
I believed it, you know.
712
00:30:13,550 --> 00:30:17,550
Went back to my parent's
house to check his bedroom.
713
00:30:17,598 --> 00:30:20,688
And, I said, "Does Chris
ever write suicide notes?"
714
00:30:20,731 --> 00:30:23,951
Dad said, "I think you
better get up there."
715
00:30:23,996 --> 00:30:26,166
So, I did get back up there.
716
00:30:26,215 --> 00:30:28,695
Wish I had never left
because I got there
717
00:30:28,739 --> 00:30:32,049
right after it must
have happened.
718
00:30:32,091 --> 00:30:33,741
I saw him laying there
on the ground kind of...
719
00:30:33,788 --> 00:30:35,698
Choking.
720
00:30:35,746 --> 00:30:38,526
I said, "Chris, what did,
what did you do?"
721
00:30:38,575 --> 00:30:40,355
I thought he might
have took some pills.
722
00:30:40,403 --> 00:30:43,153
Reached, hooked his arm and
put my hand under his head
723
00:30:43,189 --> 00:30:45,149
to lift him up and my thumb,
724
00:30:45,191 --> 00:30:47,111
you know, found the hole.
725
00:30:47,149 --> 00:30:49,939
That's when I realized that
he shot himself in the head.
726
00:30:49,978 --> 00:30:53,898
Mm... Yeah.
727
00:30:53,939 --> 00:30:56,199
It was tough.
728
00:30:58,378 --> 00:31:01,818
With the last vestiges of
the Von Erich family torn apart,
729
00:31:01,860 --> 00:31:06,820
Kerry accepts an offer to go
mainstream with the WWF.
730
00:31:06,865 --> 00:31:09,385
It's another chance
in the spotlight.
731
00:31:09,432 --> 00:31:11,432
You know what; when the
crowd started dropping here,
732
00:31:11,478 --> 00:31:12,738
Kerry was
getting big offers,
733
00:31:12,783 --> 00:31:14,183
would he come up
and work for Vince?
734
00:31:14,220 --> 00:31:16,350
Would he make some
appearances up there?
735
00:31:16,396 --> 00:31:19,876
Kerry, he took a, took a
good offer from Vince and
736
00:31:19,921 --> 00:31:21,311
he went up there.
737
00:31:21,357 --> 00:31:24,877
After enduring several
tragedies and the decline of
738
00:31:24,926 --> 00:31:27,406
his family's
wrestling promotion,
739
00:31:27,450 --> 00:31:32,330
Kerry takes the Von Erich legacy
to wrestling's biggest stage.
740
00:31:32,368 --> 00:31:35,148
However, no one knew
he was wrestling
741
00:31:35,197 --> 00:31:37,367
with an unthinkable secret.
742
00:31:45,904 --> 00:31:50,604
There's a school picture.
What a cute little kid.
743
00:31:50,647 --> 00:31:52,347
Were you guys,
like, really curious kids?
744
00:31:52,388 --> 00:31:54,478
Like, were you
really active and...?
745
00:31:54,521 --> 00:31:56,871
Kerry and I just showed
off for each other
746
00:31:56,915 --> 00:31:58,735
all day long, I think.
We just like,
747
00:31:58,786 --> 00:32:02,176
we took a chance a day,
it was like...
748
00:32:02,224 --> 00:32:03,574
Yeah.
749
00:32:03,617 --> 00:32:07,227
A lucrative offer made to
Kerry by the WWF
750
00:32:07,273 --> 00:32:10,363
was an opportunity to revive
the Von Erich name.
751
00:32:10,406 --> 00:32:15,146
However, a secret from his past
was slowly catching up with him.
752
00:32:15,194 --> 00:32:17,594
Kerry was supposed to
be wrestling that night.
753
00:32:17,631 --> 00:32:18,981
I want to say Austin,
or somewhere.
754
00:32:19,024 --> 00:32:21,164
I get the phone call,
Kerry's been in an accident.
755
00:32:21,200 --> 00:32:25,120
It's not life threatening,
but he really busted up his leg.
756
00:32:25,160 --> 00:32:27,120
Kerry was riding his
motorcycle and ran into
757
00:32:27,162 --> 00:32:28,822
the back of a parked police car.
758
00:32:28,859 --> 00:32:30,639
I remember Rick Hazzard,
I saw him,
759
00:32:30,687 --> 00:32:32,387
and he said,
"Holy cow," he said,
760
00:32:32,428 --> 00:32:34,738
"his ankle looks like an
alligator chewed on it."
761
00:32:34,778 --> 00:32:36,958
When they made the
decision to amputate,
762
00:32:36,998 --> 00:32:41,438
I would have never, ever thought
it could be kept secret.
763
00:32:41,481 --> 00:32:43,271
I guess Fritz thought,
they didn't want to make
764
00:32:43,309 --> 00:32:45,959
Kerry look weak, especially
after the other tragedies.
765
00:32:46,007 --> 00:32:50,137
So, they tried to hide the
fact of his foot situation.
766
00:32:50,185 --> 00:32:52,575
He wanted me to
promise to hide that,
767
00:32:52,622 --> 00:32:53,972
and we all promised.
768
00:32:54,015 --> 00:32:55,145
Anything we said
to each other,
769
00:32:55,190 --> 00:32:57,280
if we gave our word,
that's an oath.
770
00:32:57,323 --> 00:32:59,063
We weren't gonna let
Kerry down because
771
00:32:59,107 --> 00:33:00,497
he was ashamed of it.
772
00:33:00,543 --> 00:33:04,423
In Kerry's mind,
"I'm a fake."
773
00:33:04,460 --> 00:33:06,330
You know, the injury
done on this leg...
774
00:33:06,375 --> 00:33:07,715
What about it, now?
775
00:33:07,768 --> 00:33:13,028
Before, it was, it was
almost to the point where...
776
00:33:13,078 --> 00:33:15,038
I almost had to have
my leg amputated.
777
00:33:15,080 --> 00:33:17,820
Now my leg is back,
it's coming on strong.
778
00:33:17,865 --> 00:33:20,085
Everyone was sworn to
secrecy for over
779
00:33:20,128 --> 00:33:22,038
about a 5-year period there.
780
00:33:22,087 --> 00:33:23,567
He would do everything
that a person
781
00:33:23,610 --> 00:33:25,790
with both limbs would do.
782
00:33:25,829 --> 00:33:28,309
I think that would 'a just
been such a testimonial.
783
00:33:28,354 --> 00:33:29,964
And I was proud of Kerry.
784
00:33:30,008 --> 00:33:32,098
To do, to come
back like that and,
785
00:33:32,140 --> 00:33:35,670
not only just compete,
but to impress people.
786
00:33:35,709 --> 00:33:37,449
They could've
presented it like that,
787
00:33:37,493 --> 00:33:39,633
and maybe he would've been
a little bit more inspirational,
788
00:33:39,669 --> 00:33:41,019
maybe it'd have
made him feel better.
789
00:33:41,062 --> 00:33:42,892
But instead, it was another
thing he had to hide,
790
00:33:42,933 --> 00:33:44,633
and it was another thing
that was probably
791
00:33:44,674 --> 00:33:46,294
weighing on him mentally.
792
00:33:46,328 --> 00:33:48,768
"Now I'll never be as
good as I could be.
793
00:33:48,809 --> 00:33:51,809
I'll never make my dad proud,"
whatever the case may be.
794
00:33:51,855 --> 00:33:54,945
With his transition to
wrestling's grandest stage,
795
00:33:54,989 --> 00:33:58,509
Kerry found himself a
small fish in a big pond.
796
00:33:58,558 --> 00:33:59,988
But with a new identity,
797
00:34:00,038 --> 00:34:02,518
it was a chance to
reboot his career.
798
00:34:02,562 --> 00:34:03,912
Vince brings in
Kerry Von Erich,
799
00:34:03,954 --> 00:34:05,174
the modern-day warrior.
800
00:34:05,217 --> 00:34:07,047
You know, he's one of
the biggest superstars
801
00:34:07,088 --> 00:34:09,048
of that period.
I mean, it was like,
802
00:34:09,090 --> 00:34:11,790
he still had the physique,
but introducing him
803
00:34:11,832 --> 00:34:13,962
at that stage of the
game to a national audience,
804
00:34:14,008 --> 00:34:15,578
when he was
physically limited...
805
00:34:15,618 --> 00:34:17,448
he just wasn't the same.
806
00:34:17,490 --> 00:34:19,670
And he quickly drops
the Von Erich name,
807
00:34:19,709 --> 00:34:21,059
tells him you
can't do the Claw.
808
00:34:21,102 --> 00:34:22,582
His name's the
Texas Tornado,
809
00:34:22,625 --> 00:34:24,275
and they just call
him the Texas Tornado.
810
00:34:24,323 --> 00:34:25,983
They didn't even call
him Kerry Von Erich.
811
00:34:26,020 --> 00:34:28,680
All he had going for him is
that he was Kerry Von Erich.
812
00:34:28,718 --> 00:34:32,768
The Texas Tornado!
813
00:34:32,809 --> 00:34:34,859
When he was there,
things were going down,
814
00:34:34,898 --> 00:34:37,118
and it was not a secret
things were going down.
815
00:34:37,162 --> 00:34:40,302
He had, you know, a series
of drug-related issues.
816
00:34:40,339 --> 00:34:41,909
He was not happy at all.
817
00:34:41,949 --> 00:34:44,209
Kerry didn't
handle the fame well.
818
00:34:44,256 --> 00:34:45,906
You've seen the, you know,
he was always out
819
00:34:45,953 --> 00:34:47,693
with rock 'n' roll
people and all.
820
00:34:47,737 --> 00:34:49,777
And I was more
of a family man.
821
00:34:49,826 --> 00:34:52,386
It's probably what saved me.
I know it saved me.
822
00:34:52,438 --> 00:34:55,788
Kerry was, was...
doing drugs.
823
00:34:55,832 --> 00:34:56,882
You just knew it.
824
00:34:56,920 --> 00:34:58,230
Once he went
through the accident,
825
00:34:58,270 --> 00:35:00,620
they immediately fill him up
with all these drugs.
826
00:35:00,663 --> 00:35:02,233
They got the
pain killers in ya,
827
00:35:02,274 --> 00:35:04,364
they got the pills
they're giving him.
828
00:35:04,406 --> 00:35:07,976
That was not a
good path for him.
829
00:35:08,018 --> 00:35:11,018
Because of the drugs, he was
on probation at the time,
830
00:35:11,065 --> 00:35:12,715
and then he got
arrested again.
831
00:35:12,762 --> 00:35:14,202
And... you know,
832
00:35:14,242 --> 00:35:15,812
he was afraid because
of the probation violation
833
00:35:15,852 --> 00:35:17,252
that he was gonna go
to jail this time.
834
00:35:17,289 --> 00:35:20,159
I remember he went
to his wife and said,
835
00:35:20,205 --> 00:35:22,725
"I'll go to jail if you promise
that when I come out of jail,
836
00:35:22,772 --> 00:35:25,952
you'll take me back," and she
wouldn't promise him that.
837
00:35:25,993 --> 00:35:28,743
He talked about what Chris did
in glowing terms. It's like,
838
00:35:28,778 --> 00:35:31,478
"Can you imagine the guts
it took to do what Chris did?"
839
00:35:31,520 --> 00:35:33,170
You know, it's like,
that's pretty scary
840
00:35:33,218 --> 00:35:34,608
when you hear
people saying that.
841
00:35:34,654 --> 00:35:36,744
He told me he was
gonna kill himself.
842
00:35:36,786 --> 00:35:39,486
I said, "Kerry, you couldn't
do that to me."
843
00:35:39,528 --> 00:35:41,178
He said, "Kev, well,
what are we gonna do then?"
844
00:35:41,226 --> 00:35:42,486
I said,
"We'll do something,
845
00:35:42,531 --> 00:35:45,101
but we sure as hell
ain't gonna die."
846
00:35:45,143 --> 00:35:47,493
I said, "I'll tell ya what,
Kerry, let's you and me,
847
00:35:47,536 --> 00:35:49,926
let's go to Alaska.
Let's take our .44's
848
00:35:49,973 --> 00:35:52,023
and let's just get
charged by a polar bear.
849
00:35:52,062 --> 00:35:53,592
We got 6 tries.
850
00:35:53,629 --> 00:35:55,759
I thought it'll be good for me
to get alone with Kerry
851
00:35:55,805 --> 00:35:57,675
and there's no drug
dealers up there,
852
00:35:57,720 --> 00:35:59,200
so it'll be great.
853
00:35:59,244 --> 00:36:02,034
I wish we'd 'a gone up
there with our .44s.
854
00:36:02,072 --> 00:36:05,602
On the morning of
February, the 17th, 1993,
855
00:36:05,641 --> 00:36:08,081
the same day Kerry
was scheduled to be
856
00:36:08,122 --> 00:36:09,912
indicted on drug charges,
857
00:36:09,950 --> 00:36:14,080
he took a drive out to
his father's ranch.
858
00:36:14,128 --> 00:36:16,608
Called dad and he said,
"Can't talk. Busy."
859
00:36:16,652 --> 00:36:18,222
Well, he was
pouring a driveway,
860
00:36:18,263 --> 00:36:20,353
and I was gonna tell
him Kerry's in a bad way,
861
00:36:20,395 --> 00:36:22,615
he's headed out to your
place and hold him for me
862
00:36:22,658 --> 00:36:26,008
'til I get there.
I called, tried to call dad
863
00:36:26,053 --> 00:36:28,803
a couple times and
could not get through.
864
00:36:28,838 --> 00:36:31,188
Fritz was continuing
pouring concrete.
865
00:36:31,232 --> 00:36:35,452
Kerry came, walked up,
gave him a big hug and said,
866
00:36:35,497 --> 00:36:39,627
"Dad, I love you.
I really, really love you."
867
00:36:39,675 --> 00:36:42,935
Kerry got in the jeep
and took off in the jeep.
868
00:36:42,983 --> 00:36:46,123
And so, Dad's sitting in the
house wondering why
869
00:36:46,160 --> 00:36:48,160
Kerry's been out in
the field so long.
870
00:36:48,206 --> 00:36:51,116
He said he went and looked
and his pistol was gone.
871
00:36:51,165 --> 00:36:53,945
The .44 he'd given
dad for father's day.
872
00:36:53,994 --> 00:36:56,614
And, when he went down,
there was a clear out area
873
00:36:56,649 --> 00:36:58,479
down there and he saw
the jeep parked.
874
00:36:58,520 --> 00:37:01,260
With one glove
laying on the seat.
875
00:37:01,306 --> 00:37:02,656
So, he knew then
what was happening,
876
00:37:02,698 --> 00:37:05,088
he had taken the glove.
877
00:37:05,135 --> 00:37:06,655
The shooting hand.
878
00:37:06,702 --> 00:37:09,182
Fritz said he walked back,
there was a little row of trees.
879
00:37:09,227 --> 00:37:11,707
And there Kerry was.
880
00:37:11,751 --> 00:37:14,231
He had...
881
00:37:14,275 --> 00:37:15,275
He was dead.
882
00:37:15,320 --> 00:37:17,840
Shot his self in the heart.
883
00:37:17,887 --> 00:37:19,717
Brothers begin to pile up,
884
00:37:19,759 --> 00:37:21,669
and he just couldn't
take it anymore.
885
00:37:21,717 --> 00:37:23,717
Dad found him and he said
he'd never seen such
886
00:37:23,763 --> 00:37:25,853
a peaceful look
on Kerry's face.
887
00:37:25,895 --> 00:37:28,245
Must 'a hit him just right.
888
00:37:28,289 --> 00:37:30,339
Kevin said one thing one time,
almost made me cry.
889
00:37:30,378 --> 00:37:33,428
He said, "I used
to have 5 brothers,
890
00:37:33,468 --> 00:37:35,908
and now, I'm not
even a brother."
891
00:37:35,949 --> 00:37:39,559
Over all of that,
Fritz and Doris had split up.
892
00:37:39,605 --> 00:37:42,295
I thought my dad was taking
it like a soldier, you know.
893
00:37:42,347 --> 00:37:44,307
My mom was really
getting hit though,
894
00:37:44,349 --> 00:37:48,179
and she blamed him.
It was bad.
895
00:37:49,745 --> 00:37:51,965
The last 10 years of his
life was not a picture
896
00:37:52,008 --> 00:37:54,788
of what I would call health.
He would have never thought
897
00:37:54,837 --> 00:37:57,357
that he would've
outlived 5 of his 6 sons.
898
00:38:03,759 --> 00:38:05,589
Yeah, when he got older
he had brain cancer.
899
00:38:05,631 --> 00:38:07,071
You know, he was
not making sense,
900
00:38:07,110 --> 00:38:09,770
some of the things he said.
He was questioning God.
901
00:38:09,809 --> 00:38:11,899
Well, he got that gun out and
he pointed the gun at me, and
902
00:38:11,941 --> 00:38:14,811
he said, "You'd kill yourself
too if you had the guts."
903
00:38:14,857 --> 00:38:19,377
I said, "Dad, it takes guts
to live, not guts to die."
904
00:38:19,427 --> 00:38:20,857
And he pointed
the gun at me, said,
905
00:38:20,907 --> 00:38:23,557
"You're afraid, aren't you?"
And I said, "No, sir."
906
00:38:23,605 --> 00:38:25,605
You gotta remember, there's
brain cancer involved and...
907
00:38:25,651 --> 00:38:27,911
and I didn't know if he
was gonna shoot me or not.
908
00:38:27,957 --> 00:38:31,397
I said, "Dad, quit pointing
the gun at me."
909
00:38:31,439 --> 00:38:33,489
I said, "Quit pointing
the gun at me!"
910
00:38:33,528 --> 00:38:35,268
And then I jumped
out the door 'cause I,
911
00:38:35,313 --> 00:38:37,533
I can see he's thinking.
912
00:38:37,576 --> 00:38:41,006
I'm not gonna let cancer
decide if I live or die.
913
00:38:41,057 --> 00:38:43,057
You know what;
I was glad he died.
914
00:38:43,103 --> 00:38:45,543
I wanted him to
quit suffering.
915
00:38:45,584 --> 00:38:47,854
Yeah, I'd seen him
suffer too much,
916
00:38:47,890 --> 00:38:49,410
what a good man he was.
917
00:38:49,457 --> 00:38:52,767
Well, he deserved
better than that.
918
00:38:52,808 --> 00:38:54,508
What a good man.
919
00:38:55,811 --> 00:38:57,811
The immortal
Fritz Von Erich!
920
00:39:02,731 --> 00:39:04,391
Not only have I
lost a brother.
921
00:39:04,429 --> 00:39:06,519
I lost all of them.
922
00:39:06,561 --> 00:39:08,741
And, there is talk
about there being
923
00:39:08,781 --> 00:39:11,041
a curse on the family,
you know.
924
00:39:11,087 --> 00:39:13,347
It's so ridiculous,
you know, a curse.
925
00:39:13,394 --> 00:39:15,094
What happened is
just terrible,
926
00:39:15,135 --> 00:39:19,565
just a terrible thing.
But no curse.
927
00:39:19,618 --> 00:39:21,398
So, what happened
with you after this?
928
00:39:21,446 --> 00:39:22,526
I mean, obviously,
you went through
929
00:39:22,577 --> 00:39:24,227
a really difficult period,
yourself?
930
00:39:24,274 --> 00:39:28,104
I thought I was doing my best,
and I was, but...
931
00:39:28,148 --> 00:39:30,108
I was mad and...
932
00:39:30,150 --> 00:39:32,980
And there was a
time I thought that,
933
00:39:33,022 --> 00:39:34,502
that I wanted to die,
you know,
934
00:39:34,546 --> 00:39:36,066
I wanted to be dead.
935
00:39:36,112 --> 00:39:37,772
And I knew I wasn't
gonna kill myself,
936
00:39:37,810 --> 00:39:40,160
but I just wanted
to fight anyway,
937
00:39:40,203 --> 00:39:42,473
and prison felt like
the perfect thing for me.
938
00:39:42,510 --> 00:39:45,030
I was gonna steal a gun
'cause I knew
939
00:39:45,078 --> 00:39:46,468
how much people hate guns.
940
00:39:46,514 --> 00:39:48,824
If I stole one;
that's prison.
941
00:39:48,864 --> 00:39:51,914
Lo and behold, I tried it
in a Lubbock gun store
942
00:39:51,954 --> 00:39:55,784
with a bunch of
good old Texas men in there.
943
00:39:55,828 --> 00:39:57,528
I went to steal that gun,
and the old man that
944
00:39:57,569 --> 00:39:59,879
owned the store was
looking right at me.
945
00:39:59,919 --> 00:40:01,089
I put it down my pants and
946
00:40:01,137 --> 00:40:04,137
I stiff-legged
walked out of there.
947
00:40:04,184 --> 00:40:05,494
I stopped and
looked at him like,
948
00:40:05,533 --> 00:40:07,193
"You got something to say?"
949
00:40:07,230 --> 00:40:09,450
That's when he just looked
at me like an old man,
950
00:40:09,494 --> 00:40:11,104
didn't say anything
for a long time,
951
00:40:11,147 --> 00:40:12,927
just looked at me.
952
00:40:12,975 --> 00:40:15,795
And I looked
right into his eyes,
953
00:40:15,848 --> 00:40:19,198
and he said,
"Love you, Kev."
954
00:40:19,242 --> 00:40:20,812
Oh, man.
955
00:40:20,853 --> 00:40:23,643
I said, "Thank you, Sir."
956
00:40:23,682 --> 00:40:27,432
And I went out to my car,
and I just thought about
957
00:40:27,468 --> 00:40:30,078
the magnitude of
what just happened.
958
00:40:30,123 --> 00:40:32,213
And I came back
in that store,
959
00:40:32,255 --> 00:40:33,945
gave him his rifle
and hugged him.
960
00:40:33,996 --> 00:40:36,346
I said,
"I love you too, Sir."
961
00:40:36,390 --> 00:40:38,090
And all those other
men were in there.
962
00:40:38,131 --> 00:40:40,571
Man, it was a
great day for Texas.
963
00:40:40,612 --> 00:40:44,572
Great day for Von Erich.
I needed that so bad.
964
00:40:44,616 --> 00:40:47,176
I wanted life to get
as bad as it could be.
965
00:40:50,099 --> 00:40:52,009
Anyway,
I'm so glad it's over.
966
00:40:52,058 --> 00:40:53,668
Saved me.
967
00:40:56,454 --> 00:40:57,934
Y'all want to see this tree
I was telling you about?
968
00:40:57,977 --> 00:40:59,457
Yeah.
969
00:41:16,561 --> 00:41:19,431
This is my desk, my office.
970
00:41:19,477 --> 00:41:21,607
- That's your office?
- Yeah.
971
00:41:21,653 --> 00:41:24,003
My lazy boy lounger here.
972
00:41:24,046 --> 00:41:27,526
How often are you here?
Every day?
973
00:41:27,572 --> 00:41:30,142
Ah... Try to.
974
00:41:30,183 --> 00:41:32,713
Not as-- If I can,
I get here every day.
975
00:41:32,751 --> 00:41:36,451
I try...
I do try to do that.
976
00:41:36,494 --> 00:41:38,284
I wouldn't trade it for
anything in the world.
977
00:41:38,321 --> 00:41:40,541
A peace I've
never had before.
978
00:41:43,196 --> 00:41:47,846
The more alone you get,
the more close you feel to...
979
00:41:47,896 --> 00:41:49,676
to God.
It seems like to me.
980
00:41:49,724 --> 00:41:53,164
If I'm scuba diving at night
on the bottom of the ocean,
981
00:41:53,206 --> 00:41:56,336
I love to turn my light off
and just lay on the bottom.
982
00:41:56,383 --> 00:41:57,653
I feel like...
983
00:41:57,689 --> 00:41:59,389
you think you're
far away, you know,
984
00:41:59,429 --> 00:42:00,779
you're never far.
985
00:42:00,822 --> 00:42:02,522
God is right with you,
and I can feel it.
986
00:42:02,563 --> 00:42:05,003
And I just, I do love it.
987
00:42:08,003 --> 00:42:10,053
Hey, baby!
Hey, you.
988
00:42:13,008 --> 00:42:14,618
Kevin's kids,
I've met 'em all.
989
00:42:14,662 --> 00:42:17,402
And they have
beautiful kids now.
990
00:42:17,447 --> 00:42:19,707
What I sought for all my
life was to be peaceful,
991
00:42:19,754 --> 00:42:20,894
and here I am.
992
00:42:20,929 --> 00:42:22,409
And I thank you, Lord.
993
00:42:22,452 --> 00:42:25,592
I've never been so
happy and peaceful.
994
00:42:25,630 --> 00:42:27,550
There's always
kids playing here.
995
00:42:27,588 --> 00:42:32,108
It's highest and best use
for the land, for sure.
996
00:42:32,158 --> 00:42:34,598
He's been through so
much chaos and stuff,
997
00:42:34,639 --> 00:42:37,209
and so, for him to end up
in this kind of just
998
00:42:37,250 --> 00:42:39,250
peaceful environment,
you know, with, you know,
999
00:42:39,295 --> 00:42:42,385
the animals and everything,
he's just like so at home
1000
00:42:42,429 --> 00:42:45,209
and just so, you know,
he loves it.
1001
00:42:48,740 --> 00:42:51,090
I'm lucky the way that
I found that the
1002
00:42:51,133 --> 00:42:54,623
only thing that lasts is family.
1003
00:42:54,659 --> 00:42:58,579
You see Ross and you see
a little bit of Kerry.
1004
00:42:58,619 --> 00:43:02,489
And you see Marshall and you
see the athleticism of Kevin,
1005
00:43:02,536 --> 00:43:05,276
and you see
that big body of Dave.
1006
00:43:07,019 --> 00:43:09,369
And then in both
of them, you see...
1007
00:43:09,412 --> 00:43:10,892
the Von Erich.
1008
00:43:10,936 --> 00:43:16,936
And so, hey, who knows.
Maybe the story'll continue.
1009
00:43:16,985 --> 00:43:22,245
Kevin officially retired on
July the 17th, 2017.
1010
00:43:22,295 --> 00:43:24,035
Wrestling his last match
1011
00:43:24,079 --> 00:43:26,429
alongside his two
sons in Israel,
1012
00:43:26,473 --> 00:43:28,613
where the Von Erich
family name
1013
00:43:28,649 --> 00:43:30,909
is celebrated to this day.
1014
00:43:32,827 --> 00:43:34,957
You know,
I've seen huge crowds.
1015
00:43:35,003 --> 00:43:36,663
I've been the
guest of honor.
1016
00:43:36,701 --> 00:43:38,621
I've been, you know,
a celebrity.
1017
00:43:38,659 --> 00:43:41,309
I've been what everybody
thinks they want.
1018
00:43:41,357 --> 00:43:43,097
I've had all that.
1019
00:43:43,142 --> 00:43:46,452
And it's not satisfying
because that's all there is.
1020
00:43:46,493 --> 00:43:50,193
What is satisfying is
dinner with the family,
1021
00:43:50,236 --> 00:43:51,926
children laughing.
1022
00:43:51,977 --> 00:43:54,847
Real joy, that's the truth.