Owen Hart's cause of death explained: What really happened?
Owen Hart's cause of death has been one of the most talked about occurrences in wrestling history. He passed away in 1999 during a televised wrestling event. He had a remarkable wrestling career with several top promotions, including the WCW, NJPW, and Stampede Wrestling, before he joined the WWF (now WWE), where he met his tragic end.
Source: Twitter
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Owen Hart was born into a Canadian wrestling dynasty. He was the youngest of 12 siblings born to Helen and wrestling legend Stu Hart. He was trained by Stu alongside his brothers, including retired pro-wrestler Bret Hart. Owen Hart's death was a huge blow to the family and the wrestling community.
Owen Hart's profile summary
| Full name | Owen James Hart |
| Other names | The Rocket, The Blue Blazer, The Avenger |
| Date of birth | May 7, 1965 |
| Date of death | May 23, 1999 |
| Age at death | 34 years old |
| Birth sign | Taurus |
| Place of birth | Calgary, Alberta, Canada |
| Place of death | Kansas City, Missouri, US |
| Resting place | Queen's Park Cemetery and Mausoleum in Calgary |
| Nationality | Canadian-American |
| Ethnicity | Mixed Greek, Irish, Scottish, and German ancestry |
| Height | 5 feet 10 inches (1.78 m/178 cm) |
| Weight | 103 kg (227 lbs) |
| Gender | Male |
| Sexual orientation | Straight |
| Marital status | Married |
| Wife | Martha Joan Peterson-Hart |
| Children | Oje Edward and Athena Christie |
| Parents | Helen and Stu Hart |
| Siblings | 11 |
| Profession | Wrestler |
| Years active | 1983 to 1999 |
| Promotion | WWF, WCW, NJPW, Stampede Wrestling |
What was Owen Hart's cause of death?
The pro-wrestler tragically passed away on May 23, 1999, during a WWF pay-per-view event called Over the Edge in Kansas City, Missouri. He was performing a stunt where he was supposed to rappel from the ceiling as his character, the Blue Blazer.
Unfortunately, the equipment malfunctioned, and he fell approximately 78 feet to the ring, sustaining severe injuries. Medics tried to perform CPR and then rushed him to Truman Medical Center, Kansas, where he was pronounced dead.
His cause of death was due to internal bleeding from blunt force trauma to his chest, which severed his aorta. On Owen Hart's date of death, he was only 34 and had left behind his wife Martha and their two young children, Oje Edward and Athena Christie.
The circumstances surrounding his passing drew mixed reactions. Many criticized the wrestling industry for focusing less on the actual sport and more on stunts to get more views and higher ratings.
Source: Original
Who went to Owen Hart's funeral?
Wrestler Owen Hart's funeral took place on May 31, 1999, at the Park Memorial Chapel in his hometown of Calgary in Alberta, Canada. The event was attended by family, friends, and three buses of wrestling colleagues. Thousands of fans gathered outside the chapel.
Notable wrestling attendees included Bret 'Hitman' Hart, Keith Hart, Vince McMahon, Hulk Hogan, Jim Ross, and The Undertaker. Several Canadian politicians, like Alberta Premier Ralph Klein and Calgary Mayor Al Duerr, were also present.
Owen's six brothers, Bret, Smith, Ross, Wayne, Keith, and Bruce, were the pallbearers. He was laid to rest at the Queen's Park Cemetery and Mausoleum in Calgary.
Who was the referee in the ring when Owen Hart died?
Ex-WWE referee Jimmy Korderas was the referee in the ring during the tragic Owen Hart's fall. The 227-pound wrestler almost struck him but only brushed him, leading to minor injuries. He recounted the incident in a May 2024 interview with Wrestling Inc., saying,
And it's so weird because I heard a scream, but I just thought, it's an arena full of people. Obviously, somebody's going to scream ... And a second or two later, like I said, I had my hand on the top rope, I felt something brush against, believe it or not, against the side of my head and shoulder.
Source: Twitter
Owen Hart's wife Martha sued WWF
Investigation into The Blue Blazer's death did not lead to any charges. In June 1999, Hart's wife, Martha, proceeded to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the World Wrestling Federation and Vince McMahon.
The lawsuit alleged negligence on the part of WWF for failing to provide safe equipment and proper training for the stunt. An $18 million out-of-court settlement was reached in November 2000. From the settlement, Martha received $10 million, their two kids got $3 million each, and Owen's parents received $1 million each.
Martha has continued to criticize the WWE. While talking to CBS Sports in May 2020, she called the promotion a PR powerhouse with an upper hand on getting their message out, adding,
The fact that they didn't stop the show (when Hart fell) is just appalling. Vince McMahon was a poor leader, and he failed because that talent was looking for leadership, and he failed them.
Source: Twitter
Is Owen Hart in the Hall of Fame?
Owen Hart has yet to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame because his widow Martha will not allow it. She has consistently opposed the promotion's attempts despite Owen's brother, Bret Hart, fighting to have his name in the Hall of Fame. Martha shared why she will never let Owen be inducted in a May 2020 Forbes interview, saying,
I would never let a company I held responsible for Owen's death try to honour him, especially with a fake Hall of Fame that doesn't even exist – There's not even a hallway of fame. It's not real... It's just all made up and make-believe and it's all done for the sole purpose of making money because they just have a show where they have a celebration.
Owen was posthumously inducted into the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2018 in Waterloo, Iowa. Several of his family members were in attendance, including Keith, Ross, Bruce, and Diana.
Source: Twitter
FAQs
Before his death, Owen Hart was considered one of the greatest wrestlers of the 1990s. He had several championships, including being named the WWF King of the Ring.
In what episode of WWF did Owen Hart die?
Owen Hart's death occurred during the WWF Over the Edge pay-per-view event on May 23, 1999. The event was held at the Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri.
How old was Owen Hart when he died?
The pro-wrestler was 34 years old when he died in May 1999. He was born on May 7, 1965, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
How heavy was Owen Hart?
As per reports, the wrestler weighed 227 pounds (103 kg). His height was 5 feet 11 inches (1.8 m/180 cm).
Source: Twitter
Owen Hart's cause of death continues to be a painful reminder of how dangerous wrestling stunts can be. Despite his tragic end, his legacy as a beloved figure in pro wrestling lives on.
READ ALSO: Is Randy Travis dead? The singer's health status and biography
Briefly.co.za shared heartbreaking details about Randy Travis' health. The country music legend suffered a near-fatal stroke in 2013 that left him wheelchair-bound.
Randy's ailment also led to communication problems, making it hard for him to continue singing. Check the article for more on his current whereabouts.
Source: Briefly News
