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REGINA -- Bret (Hitman) Hart always knew how to make an entrance.
It's an untimely exit -- one he's determined to reconcile -- which continues to test the fortitude of the Canadian sports icon.
Seven months ago, Hart was forced to retreat from the bright lights of public life to combat his toughest adversary yet -- a debilitating stroke which caused paralysis to the left side of his body.
Hart's private struggle was a conflicting source of agony and inspiration. He ultimately benefited from each one, gaining a healthy dose of perspective in the process.
"I used to meet a lot of Make-A-Wish people and you try to give them some encouragement, some hope," says the legendary grappler, who was in Regina last weekend for a promotional visit -- one of his first public appearances since the June 24 stroke.
"I try to live by the same words that I used to say to those kids, 'Don't get down, pull yourself up, make the best of it,' all those kinds of things."
If Hart's plight was meant to be a test of character, he has already passed.
With flying colours.
At the time of his stroke -- apparently caused by a blow to the head after he hit a pothole and fell off his bicycle -- Hart found himself learning to walk all over again, literally and figuratively.
But with patience and perseverance, he's slowly overcoming the barriers he faces -- each day taking another small but meaningful step toward his ultimate goal.
"I'd say I'm about 80 to 85 per cent," explains Hart, who still walks with a limp but no longer shows visible signs of paralysis in his face. "I'm optimistic that I'll get pretty close to 100 per cent when it's all said and done. But I think it could take up to two years for me to fulfil that."
Hart's progress has already inspired a cautious return to the public domain -- plans which don't include a farewell tour in the squared circle.
The Hitman is retired -- period.
Bret Hart, however, is very much on the comeback trail.
"It's kind of like peeling an onion," he says of the rehabilitation process. "You get a little tiny bit better all the time and just when you think it's going really slow, you realize you're doing something you couldn't do a few days before."
---
Hart has improved by leaps and bounds over the past few months, but it's a progression which began with more failures than victories.
When he first had the stroke, Hart could barely move his fingers and toes. Even a simple smile or wink was out of the question.
"The little things are so hard to do," offers the 45-year-old Calgarian. "I remember being in a wheelchair -- I was about as miserable as you can get. They'd wheel me up to a table and set my (left) hand on it and say, 'Turn it over.' I would try for the whole physio class, that was 30 minutes. But you can't. One day you're lifting 350 pounds in the gym, working out, riding your bike and feeling pretty fit about yourself, the next day you can't turn your hand over. It's all very humbling."
Like anyone in his shoes, Hart became increasingly sensitive about his weakened condition. The dilemma was magnified by his celebrity status, making it almost impossible to go anywhere without being recognized.
"I'm still a little reluctant to go out in public," notes Hart, who retired from wrestling three years ago due to a career-ending concussion. "At the same time, I keep telling myself I don't want to just shrink away."
That, in part, is why Hart agreed to make a rare promotional appearance last weekend in Regina.
While openly questioning the reaction he'd get after three years away from TV, those doubts were quickly erased by the legions of autograph seekers who braved --25 C temperatures to line up outside the Percival Ford showroom.
Hart's recent low profile also didn't deter spectators at the Moose Jaw Civic Centre, who gave him a rousing ovation before the ceremonial faceoff of a feisty WHL clash between the Warriors and Regina Pats.
Hart jokingly compared the evening's entertainment to a night at Stampede Wrestling.
"It goes back to trying to do the things that I always wanted to do before I became a big wrestling star," says the Hitman, whose thoughtful demeanor is the antithesis of his brash TV persona. "I remember being a kid in my 20s -- I thought of going to a good junior game that you knew was a rivalry and had some intensity, getting some good seats and going with some good friends. It's just something that's a nice idea."
It was an added bonus that Hart's excursion took him to Regina, the former home of his wife Julie and a traditional stronghold for his father Stu's aforementioned creation -- Stampede Wrestling.
Back in the show's heyday, Bret and his late brother Owen took separate turns as performers at the old Exhibition Auditorium.
"Having gone through some of the stuff I've gone through, you find yourself in sort of a melancholy," explains Hart, who lost Owen to a tragic wrestling accident in 1999. "Coming back here, I have so many memories and all very good memories. To me, Regina was always a special place. I think what I've always loved about Regina, or Saskatchewan in particular, is that people are down to earth . . . hard-working farm people who have good values."
---
In discussing his recovery, Hart makes special reference to all the good people who helped him through a difficult time. There were visits from family and friends, words of encouragement from his elderly neighbours in the hospital ward, calls from prominent stroke victims like Walter Gretzky.
Hart now realizes it's a fight he couldn't win alone.
"I even got a call from Vince McMahon (owner of the WWE)," Hart says of his estranged former boss. "That kind of eased some of the hard feelings between us. I appreciated the call."
The much-publicized fallout between McMahon and Hart, once close friends, took place after the company's top star left WWE (then WWF) in 1997 to join its arch-rival, the now-defunct WCW.
Hart's ill will toward McMahon was caused by the infamous "screw job" during his final WWF match at a pay-per-view in Montreal. The event concluded with Hart being stripped of his world title in a suspicious, unexpected main-event finish that had his boss's fingerprints all over it.
The incident prompted Hart to sever all ties with his former employer, a ban which remained until he accepted a call shortly after the stroke.
McMahon's peace offering made an impression on the Hitman, who recently agreed to a meeting with the wrestling kingpin that allowed both men to perhaps bury the hatchet.
"I talked to him about trying to get some access to my pictures, which has long been a sore spot between us," explains the five-time WWF heavyweight champion. "Everything I did, my contributions to wrestling have sort of been locked up and put away. It's almost a reluctance on his part because they're not sure how to address me. If they do something on the show, using a highlight of me, they're not sure if it's going to bug me or not.
"I wanted him to know that I appreciated the fact that he was going to let me have access to some of my pictures and that a lot of the hard feelings between him and me have been sort of misconstrued. There are hard feelings but they're not as severe as people have made them out to be."
Does that mean a comeback is within the realm of possibility?
"I made it really clear when I saw him that I have no plans to (return)," adds Hart, known to his fans as the Excellence of Execution. "My wrestling days are done, done, done. I don't even watch it anymore.
"I couldn't imagine what (could bring him back). I would almost say it's impossible, but strange things can happen."
---
It's no secret the ratings-starved WWE is anxious to revive its relationship with the Hitman, who reportedly turned down an offer to be part of last year's Wrestlemania in Toronto.
Even if another opportunity comes along -- which is quite likely -- Hart isn't comfortable with the idea of appearing on TV at this stage of his recovery.
"I just want to be remembered for what I did and maybe find something new; spend my time, for starters, with my family," says Hart, who's also in the process of putting together an autobiography.
"It has been almost therapeutic," he says of the project. "I think when people read my book they'll say, 'What a weird life.' "
Hart's quest for normality could lead him down any number of paths.
Either way, he's already headed in the right direction.
"What I'd really like to do is be more productive, give back to people," concludes Hart, who would be a natural spokesperson for the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
"I've been wearing the shoes; I've been to the bottom and I am pulling myself up.
"The one thing I learned the most is that you can't feel sorry for yourself or say, 'Why did this happen to me?' At the same time, you have someone in the ward who has no legs. Then you realize, things aren't so bad."
REGINA -- Bret (Hitman) Hart always knew how to make an entrance.
It's an untimely exit -- one he's determined to reconcile -- which continues to test the fortitude of the Canadian sports icon.
Seven months ago, Hart was forced to retreat from the bright lights of public life to combat his toughest adversary yet -- a debilitating stroke which caused paralysis to the left side of his body.
Hart's private struggle was a conflicting source of agony and inspiration. He ultimately benefited from each one, gaining a healthy dose of perspective in the process.
"I used to meet a lot of Make-A-Wish people and you try to give them some encouragement, some hope," says the legendary grappler, who was in Regina last weekend for a promotional visit -- one of his first public appearances since the June 24 stroke.
"I try to live by the same words that I used to say to those kids, 'Don't get down, pull yourself up, make the best of it,' all those kinds of things."
If Hart's plight was meant to be a test of character, he has already passed.
With flying colours.
At the time of his stroke -- apparently caused by a blow to the head after he hit a pothole and fell off his bicycle -- Hart found himself learning to walk all over again, literally and figuratively.
But with patience and perseverance, he's slowly overcoming the barriers he faces -- each day taking another small but meaningful step toward his ultimate goal.
"I'd say I'm about 80 to 85 per cent," explains Hart, who still walks with a limp but no longer shows visible signs of paralysis in his face. "I'm optimistic that I'll get pretty close to 100 per cent when it's all said and done. But I think it could take up to two years for me to fulfil that."
Hart's progress has already inspired a cautious return to the public domain -- plans which don't include a farewell tour in the squared circle.
The Hitman is retired -- period.
Bret Hart, however, is very much on the comeback trail.
"It's kind of like peeling an onion," he says of the rehabilitation process. "You get a little tiny bit better all the time and just when you think it's going really slow, you realize you're doing something you couldn't do a few days before."
---
Hart has improved by leaps and bounds over the past few months, but it's a progression which began with more failures than victories.
When he first had the stroke, Hart could barely move his fingers and toes. Even a simple smile or wink was out of the question.
"The little things are so hard to do," offers the 45-year-old Calgarian. "I remember being in a wheelchair -- I was about as miserable as you can get. They'd wheel me up to a table and set my (left) hand on it and say, 'Turn it over.' I would try for the whole physio class, that was 30 minutes. But you can't. One day you're lifting 350 pounds in the gym, working out, riding your bike and feeling pretty fit about yourself, the next day you can't turn your hand over. It's all very humbling."
Like anyone in his shoes, Hart became increasingly sensitive about his weakened condition. The dilemma was magnified by his celebrity status, making it almost impossible to go anywhere without being recognized.
"I'm still a little reluctant to go out in public," notes Hart, who retired from wrestling three years ago due to a career-ending concussion. "At the same time, I keep telling myself I don't want to just shrink away."
That, in part, is why Hart agreed to make a rare promotional appearance last weekend in Regina.
While openly questioning the reaction he'd get after three years away from TV, those doubts were quickly erased by the legions of autograph seekers who braved --25 C temperatures to line up outside the Percival Ford showroom.
Hart's recent low profile also didn't deter spectators at the Moose Jaw Civic Centre, who gave him a rousing ovation before the ceremonial faceoff of a feisty WHL clash between the Warriors and Regina Pats.
Hart jokingly compared the evening's entertainment to a night at Stampede Wrestling.
"It goes back to trying to do the things that I always wanted to do before I became a big wrestling star," says the Hitman, whose thoughtful demeanor is the antithesis of his brash TV persona. "I remember being a kid in my 20s -- I thought of going to a good junior game that you knew was a rivalry and had some intensity, getting some good seats and going with some good friends. It's just something that's a nice idea."
It was an added bonus that Hart's excursion took him to Regina, the former home of his wife Julie and a traditional stronghold for his father Stu's aforementioned creation -- Stampede Wrestling.
Back in the show's heyday, Bret and his late brother Owen took separate turns as performers at the old Exhibition Auditorium.
"Having gone through some of the stuff I've gone through, you find yourself in sort of a melancholy," explains Hart, who lost Owen to a tragic wrestling accident in 1999. "Coming back here, I have so many memories and all very good memories. To me, Regina was always a special place. I think what I've always loved about Regina, or Saskatchewan in particular, is that people are down to earth . . . hard-working farm people who have good values."
---
In discussing his recovery, Hart makes special reference to all the good people who helped him through a difficult time. There were visits from family and friends, words of encouragement from his elderly neighbours in the hospital ward, calls from prominent stroke victims like Walter Gretzky.
Hart now realizes it's a fight he couldn't win alone.
"I even got a call from Vince McMahon (owner of the WWE)," Hart says of his estranged former boss. "That kind of eased some of the hard feelings between us. I appreciated the call."
The much-publicized fallout between McMahon and Hart, once close friends, took place after the company's top star left WWE (then WWF) in 1997 to join its arch-rival, the now-defunct WCW.
Hart's ill will toward McMahon was caused by the infamous "screw job" during his final WWF match at a pay-per-view in Montreal. The event concluded with Hart being stripped of his world title in a suspicious, unexpected main-event finish that had his boss's fingerprints all over it.
The incident prompted Hart to sever all ties with his former employer, a ban which remained until he accepted a call shortly after the stroke.
McMahon's peace offering made an impression on the Hitman, who recently agreed to a meeting with the wrestling kingpin that allowed both men to perhaps bury the hatchet.
"I talked to him about trying to get some access to my pictures, which has long been a sore spot between us," explains the five-time WWF heavyweight champion. "Everything I did, my contributions to wrestling have sort of been locked up and put away. It's almost a reluctance on his part because they're not sure how to address me. If they do something on the show, using a highlight of me, they're not sure if it's going to bug me or not.
"I wanted him to know that I appreciated the fact that he was going to let me have access to some of my pictures and that a lot of the hard feelings between him and me have been sort of misconstrued. There are hard feelings but they're not as severe as people have made them out to be."
Does that mean a comeback is within the realm of possibility?
"I made it really clear when I saw him that I have no plans to (return)," adds Hart, known to his fans as the Excellence of Execution. "My wrestling days are done, done, done. I don't even watch it anymore.
"I couldn't imagine what (could bring him back). I would almost say it's impossible, but strange things can happen."
---
It's no secret the ratings-starved WWE is anxious to revive its relationship with the Hitman, who reportedly turned down an offer to be part of last year's Wrestlemania in Toronto.
Even if another opportunity comes along -- which is quite likely -- Hart isn't comfortable with the idea of appearing on TV at this stage of his recovery.
"I just want to be remembered for what I did and maybe find something new; spend my time, for starters, with my family," says Hart, who's also in the process of putting together an autobiography.
"It has been almost therapeutic," he says of the project. "I think when people read my book they'll say, 'What a weird life.' "
Hart's quest for normality could lead him down any number of paths.
Either way, he's already headed in the right direction.
"What I'd really like to do is be more productive, give back to people," concludes Hart, who would be a natural spokesperson for the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
"I've been wearing the shoes; I've been to the bottom and I am pulling myself up.
"The one thing I learned the most is that you can't feel sorry for yourself or say, 'Why did this happen to me?' At the same time, you have someone in the ward who has no legs. Then you realize, things aren't so bad."
The Shockmaster botcht sein Debut als er hinfaellt….
Davey Boy Smith kommentiert das trocken im Fernsehen:“He fell flat on his fooking arse…”
Davey Boy Smith kommentiert das trocken im Fernsehen:“He fell flat on his fooking arse…”
also ich war zwar nie so ein Fan von ihm aber er ist einer der Wrestler die ich nie wieder vergessen werde er ist einer der größten Wrestler die ich kenne, eine Lebende Legende !!!
