1 00:00:08,342 --> 00:00:18,352 [birds chirping] 2 00:00:20,854 --> 00:00:23,056 [footsteps] 3 00:00:23,057 --> 00:00:24,857 [Kevin Von Erich] I think I had to grow up to realize 4 00:00:24,858 --> 00:00:28,795 that life is not about just laughing it up all day. 5 00:00:31,064 --> 00:00:35,067 There's a lot of terrible things that happen, but in between 6 00:00:35,068 --> 00:00:38,171 those moments are those good ones, too, you know, 7 00:00:38,238 --> 00:00:40,307 the laughing children. 8 00:00:42,142 --> 00:00:45,272 You remember being a little kid, too, and it's just beautiful. 9 00:00:48,282 --> 00:00:51,018 I love life now. 10 00:00:51,118 --> 00:00:52,928 Can't wait to wake up in the morning. 11 00:00:54,187 --> 00:00:56,537 So, I just say thank you, Lord, for another day. 12 00:00:56,857 --> 00:00:59,625 You know, He doesn't owe me a thing but a place 13 00:00:59,626 --> 00:01:01,395 to be born and a place to die. 14 00:01:02,229 --> 00:01:03,664 [bell rings] 15 00:01:03,665 --> 00:01:05,665 There was a time I thought life is too long. 16 00:01:05,666 --> 00:01:06,716 [bell rings] 17 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:08,502 And now I think life is too short. 18 00:01:08,503 --> 00:01:09,402 [laughing] 19 00:01:09,403 --> 00:01:10,704 [bell rings] 20 00:01:11,271 --> 00:01:14,308 [Commentator] Here come the Von Erichs. 21 00:01:14,309 --> 00:01:16,275 [Steve Austin] You gotta understand how big a stars 22 00:01:16,276 --> 00:01:17,811 the Von Erichs were in Texas. 23 00:01:17,812 --> 00:01:19,779 If you knew anything about professional wrestling, 24 00:01:19,780 --> 00:01:21,830 you knew who and what the Von Erichs were. 25 00:01:22,416 --> 00:01:25,519 [Reporter 1] The Von Erichs, the royal family of wrestling, 26 00:01:25,586 --> 00:01:28,822 with Father Fritz as the king of the ring and each of his sons 27 00:01:28,889 --> 00:01:31,158 waiting to take over the throne. 28 00:01:31,224 --> 00:01:33,160 [Speaker] Fritz had six kids. 29 00:01:33,161 --> 00:01:35,595 [Fritz Von Erich] Each of these boys are gonna be world 30 00:01:35,596 --> 00:01:36,964 heavyweight champions. 31 00:01:37,030 --> 00:01:38,432 I'm dedicating my life to it. 32 00:01:38,433 --> 00:01:40,266 [Reporter 2] The greatest name in professional wrestling today, 33 00:01:40,267 --> 00:01:41,768 the Von Erichs. 34 00:01:41,769 --> 00:01:44,003 [Shawn Michaels] You begin to really understand how important 35 00:01:44,004 --> 00:01:46,606 the Von Erichs were to the state of Texas. 36 00:01:46,607 --> 00:01:48,107 [Undertaker] They were superheroes. 37 00:01:48,108 --> 00:01:50,242 [Presenter 3] The Von Erichs were a prime attraction. 38 00:01:50,243 --> 00:01:52,111 [Lacey Von Erich] They were on their way to greatness 39 00:01:52,112 --> 00:01:54,314 until all the tragedy struck. 40 00:01:55,148 --> 00:01:58,418 At six years old, Uncle Jackie is just gone. 41 00:01:58,419 --> 00:02:00,953 [Reporter 4] David Von Erich was found lying 42 00:02:00,954 --> 00:02:02,421 across his bed early this morning. 43 00:02:02,422 --> 00:02:05,552 It's awfully hard to believe it could have been a heart attack. 44 00:02:05,553 --> 00:02:07,860 [Reporter 5] Michael Von Erich remains in critical condition 45 00:02:07,861 --> 00:02:09,296 at Baylor Medical Center. 46 00:02:09,297 --> 00:02:10,830 [Reporter 6] Doctors say the wrestler 47 00:02:10,831 --> 00:02:12,465 has toxic shock syndrome. 48 00:02:12,466 --> 00:02:14,500 [Reporter 7] Investigators found a handwritten note, 49 00:02:14,501 --> 00:02:17,504 "Mom and Dad, I'm in a better place." 50 00:02:17,505 --> 00:02:20,439 [Reporter 8] Kerry Von Erich was in an accident recently. 51 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:23,310 [Reporter 9] This crumpled wreckage is all that's left. 52 00:02:23,311 --> 00:02:26,178 [Reporter 10] Some call it The Curse of the Iron Claw. 53 00:02:26,179 --> 00:02:27,680 [Fritz Von Erich] It doesn't get easier. 54 00:02:27,681 --> 00:02:29,682 Lord, please don't take any more of my children. 55 00:02:29,683 --> 00:02:31,685 [David Shoemaker] Was it a curse? 56 00:02:31,752 --> 00:02:34,388 Was it just a series of tragic coincidences? 57 00:02:34,389 --> 00:02:36,255 Was it the pressure of the wrestling business? 58 00:02:36,256 --> 00:02:37,289 The pressure of family? 59 00:02:37,290 --> 00:02:38,792 The pressure of the fans? 60 00:02:38,793 --> 00:02:41,260 [Cathy Murray] They did go through a lot of tragedy. 61 00:02:41,261 --> 00:02:42,763 It was made for movie. 62 00:02:42,764 --> 00:02:43,929 [Reporter 11] It's a new film. 63 00:02:43,930 --> 00:02:45,264 It's called the Iron Claw. 64 00:02:45,265 --> 00:02:46,832 [Holt McCallany] Don't you dare question me. 65 00:02:46,833 --> 00:02:48,200 [David Manning] Great acting. 66 00:02:48,201 --> 00:02:50,669 Zac Efron did a phenomenal job, but it'd been nice 67 00:02:50,670 --> 00:02:53,272 if they'd had the real story. 68 00:02:53,273 --> 00:02:54,974 [Kevin Von Erich] This one is a little different. 69 00:02:54,975 --> 00:02:56,108 I've never talked about the things I talked about, 70 00:02:56,109 --> 00:02:59,212 but I wanted it to be said. 71 00:02:59,213 --> 00:03:02,214 It might sound like the craziest story you ever heard, 72 00:03:02,215 --> 00:03:03,350 but I know it's true. 73 00:03:17,664 --> 00:03:19,354 [Kevin Von Erich] Down, set, hut. 74 00:03:19,666 --> 00:03:20,716 [Speaker] Granddad. 75 00:03:20,717 --> 00:03:21,834 [laughing] 76 00:03:21,835 --> 00:03:23,469 [Kevin Von Erich] There you go. 77 00:03:23,470 --> 00:03:26,273 When I'm out here with my grandkids, 78 00:03:26,339 --> 00:03:29,309 to me this is as good as it gets. 79 00:03:29,529 --> 00:03:32,711 Had I not been raised the way I was, 80 00:03:32,712 --> 00:03:35,422 maybe I'd be different, but it's just important to me. 81 00:03:37,384 --> 00:03:39,019 Oh, Benji. 82 00:03:39,419 --> 00:03:42,389 When I think about my youth, my time with my brothers, 83 00:03:42,456 --> 00:03:45,058 that's- it was so great. 84 00:03:45,158 --> 00:03:46,593 So much fun we had then. 85 00:03:46,660 --> 00:03:51,063 And then my dad, he didn't have any idea 86 00:03:51,064 --> 00:03:54,467 what it was like to have brothers. 87 00:03:54,468 --> 00:03:56,869 You know, it's too bad too, because, uh, 88 00:03:56,870 --> 00:04:00,373 because he was an only child, and I can't imagine 89 00:04:00,440 --> 00:04:02,642 what that would be like to be the only child. 90 00:04:08,949 --> 00:04:10,817 Fritz von Erich is my father. 91 00:04:10,917 --> 00:04:14,387 He was born Jack Adkisson in Jewett, Texas. 92 00:04:14,388 --> 00:04:17,256 He had a pretty rough life, I think. 93 00:04:17,257 --> 00:04:20,427 He's the only child, and my granddad was busy 94 00:04:20,494 --> 00:04:22,304 and didn't have a lot of time for him. 95 00:04:23,530 --> 00:04:26,265 My granddad didn't really pay any attention to my dad. 96 00:04:26,266 --> 00:04:27,933 It was like, if they weren't hunting, 97 00:04:27,934 --> 00:04:29,636 well, they weren't talking. 98 00:04:29,637 --> 00:04:33,272 [Kristen Nikolas] Any stories I have about granddad being little 99 00:04:33,273 --> 00:04:35,475 are things that he told me. 100 00:04:36,309 --> 00:04:39,146 In their town, the dads would bet on their boys 101 00:04:39,246 --> 00:04:41,715 and have them fight in the woods. 102 00:04:41,782 --> 00:04:44,918 And when-when granddad would lose, um, 103 00:04:44,985 --> 00:04:48,188 his dad would just beat him in front of everyone. 104 00:04:50,290 --> 00:04:54,027 The one person that my granddad felt like loved him 105 00:04:54,094 --> 00:04:56,897 was his daddy, Ross, his grandfather. 106 00:04:56,997 --> 00:05:01,368 And so, Daddy Ross lived a few hours away, and for granddad, 107 00:05:01,434 --> 00:05:04,638 that was his one source of, you know, love and encouragement. 108 00:05:05,839 --> 00:05:10,610 There was a guy in town who asked my granddad if- 109 00:05:10,611 --> 00:05:11,477 You know, he's- 110 00:05:11,478 --> 00:05:13,048 he was maybe 12 or 13 years old, 111 00:05:13,313 --> 00:05:14,633 my granddad was at the time. 112 00:05:14,981 --> 00:05:17,391 And he said, "You know, Jack, if you want a ride, 113 00:05:17,417 --> 00:05:18,752 I'll give you a ride. 114 00:05:18,753 --> 00:05:20,186 You can ride in my truck with me, 115 00:05:20,187 --> 00:05:21,487 and I go out there every weekend. 116 00:05:21,488 --> 00:05:22,989 I'd be happy to take you." 117 00:05:23,056 --> 00:05:27,794 And granddad was so excited to take that chance. 118 00:05:28,929 --> 00:05:31,097 The man drove him. 119 00:05:31,464 --> 00:05:34,234 In the truck on the way there, the man, um, 120 00:05:34,301 --> 00:05:35,836 molested my granddad. 121 00:05:38,672 --> 00:05:42,108 My granddad said, I wanted to se- see Daddy Ross so bad that 122 00:05:42,175 --> 00:05:44,878 I'd let that happen every couple of weeks, you know, 123 00:05:44,945 --> 00:05:47,280 to go see Daddy Ross, and it was worth it. 124 00:05:48,081 --> 00:05:50,617 So, that-that, you know, broke my heart whenever 125 00:05:50,717 --> 00:05:51,885 he told me about that. 126 00:05:52,986 --> 00:05:56,323 [Kevin Von Erich] That he was molested as a little boy, 127 00:05:56,389 --> 00:05:59,226 I didn't know that, you know. 128 00:06:00,594 --> 00:06:03,797 There are things he didn't tell me, but he did tell Kristen. 129 00:06:03,864 --> 00:06:06,766 It's just really, I guess he had no reason to tell me. 130 00:06:06,833 --> 00:06:09,268 I didn't need to know, I suppose. 131 00:06:09,269 --> 00:06:11,037 It's kind of surprising. 132 00:06:16,509 --> 00:06:20,247 [Kristen Nikolas] I think that granddad had felt invisible 133 00:06:20,313 --> 00:06:24,517 for a large part of his childhood and recognized 134 00:06:24,584 --> 00:06:29,422 that the best way to get people to notice him 135 00:06:29,489 --> 00:06:33,526 was his athletic ability, his size. 136 00:06:34,928 --> 00:06:39,064 And so he went to college, and he actually had a scholarship 137 00:06:39,065 --> 00:06:43,203 for football, and he threw discus at SMU. 138 00:06:43,204 --> 00:06:45,337 [Interviewer] Here you were at SMU with a scholarship, 139 00:06:45,338 --> 00:06:48,408 and you met this young lady named Doris. 140 00:06:48,409 --> 00:06:51,877 [Kristen Nikolas] At the time that my grandparents met, 141 00:06:51,878 --> 00:06:53,913 they loved each other so much. 142 00:06:53,914 --> 00:06:57,884 And Meme, she wasn't going to let this boy go, you know? 143 00:06:57,951 --> 00:07:01,021 Like, this was a boy that was going places. 144 00:07:01,022 --> 00:07:03,188 [Interviewer] And, uh, you eventually married Doris, 145 00:07:03,189 --> 00:07:04,791 but what did that cost you? 146 00:07:04,792 --> 00:07:06,625 [Fritz Von Erich] You mean up to now or at the end up of it? 147 00:07:06,626 --> 00:07:07,693 [Interviewer] At that time? 148 00:07:07,694 --> 00:07:09,462 [laughing] 149 00:07:09,463 --> 00:07:10,863 [Fritz Von Erich] Well, it cost me my scholarship. 150 00:07:10,864 --> 00:07:13,599 When I started as a freshman at SMU, they put a non-marriage 151 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:16,035 rule in that any freshman that came in from then on 152 00:07:16,036 --> 00:07:18,470 at that time and later, if they got married, 153 00:07:18,471 --> 00:07:19,672 they lost their scholarship. 154 00:07:19,673 --> 00:07:20,873 [Interviewer] So, because you married- 155 00:07:20,874 --> 00:07:21,874 [Fritz Von Erich] Partner, I didn't think that meant me. 156 00:07:21,875 --> 00:07:23,043 I was too great. 157 00:07:23,044 --> 00:07:24,977 [Interviewer] Uh-huh, and you lost the scholarship. 158 00:07:24,978 --> 00:07:26,111 [Fritz Von Erich] Yes, sir. 159 00:07:26,112 --> 00:07:27,746 Just to condense it, brother, that's what happened. 160 00:07:27,747 --> 00:07:32,352 Well, as time went on, uh, I had had a wife and a young baby 161 00:07:32,419 --> 00:07:35,989 on the way, and, uh, I really didn't-didn't know 162 00:07:36,056 --> 00:07:37,324 what I was going to do, Ed. 163 00:07:41,140 --> 00:07:44,530 [Kevin Von Erich] He tried lots of jobs. 164 00:07:44,531 --> 00:07:47,300 He was a detective and a bus driver. 165 00:07:47,301 --> 00:07:51,437 [Fritz Von Erich] Ed "Strangler" Lewis came along, and Ed was 166 00:07:51,438 --> 00:07:53,005 one of the greatest of all-time wrestlers 167 00:07:53,006 --> 00:07:54,086 I guess there ever was. 168 00:07:54,087 --> 00:07:56,108 He said, "Fritz, you got a big name at SMU." 169 00:07:56,109 --> 00:07:58,644 He said, "Man, we can train you for about six months, put you in 170 00:07:58,645 --> 00:08:01,295 that Sportatorium, you'll sell that building out." 171 00:08:01,296 --> 00:08:03,349 And when he mentioned how much money I was going to make, 172 00:08:03,350 --> 00:08:05,317 partner, I mean to tell you, he got my attention. 173 00:08:05,318 --> 00:08:06,151 [Interviewer] Yes. 174 00:08:06,152 --> 00:08:07,287 Yes. 175 00:08:07,288 --> 00:08:08,253 [Fritz Von Erich] He said, you'll be able to make $20 or 176 00:08:08,254 --> 00:08:10,323 $25,000 your first year in the business. 177 00:08:10,390 --> 00:08:12,080 Man, I belonged to him after that. 178 00:08:12,081 --> 00:08:14,159 [Kevin Von Erich] That's when my dad started 179 00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:15,420 professional wrestling. 180 00:08:15,795 --> 00:08:19,432 [Commentator] Jack Adkisson of Dallas, 251 pounder. 181 00:08:19,499 --> 00:08:22,168 Adkisson is the tall boy on the right. 182 00:08:22,169 --> 00:08:24,603 [David Shoemaker] So, Jack Adkisson started off as a local 183 00:08:24,604 --> 00:08:28,141 hero, football player from SMU, but he set out to travel far 184 00:08:28,241 --> 00:08:31,811 and wide to really make this his full-time career. 185 00:08:31,812 --> 00:08:35,180 [Kevin Von Erich] In wrestling, there's no middle ground. 186 00:08:35,181 --> 00:08:37,951 You either want the people to love you or to hate you. 187 00:08:37,952 --> 00:08:40,586 [Kristen Nikolas] People love to cheer for the good guy 188 00:08:40,587 --> 00:08:42,522 and boo the bad guy. 189 00:08:42,589 --> 00:08:48,461 I think he was really smart in seeing the opportunity there to 190 00:08:48,528 --> 00:08:52,432 be a memorable heel, a bad guy. 191 00:08:52,433 --> 00:08:54,900 [Kevin Von Erich] And so that's what my dad did. 192 00:08:54,901 --> 00:08:57,311 He thought, "Well, the most detestable person 193 00:08:57,337 --> 00:08:59,005 I can think of would be a Nazi." 194 00:08:59,006 --> 00:09:03,075 [Kristen Nikolas] He changed his name to Fritz Von Erich, 195 00:09:03,076 --> 00:09:06,079 basically the most German name he could think of. 196 00:09:06,746 --> 00:09:10,582 [Commentator] From Berlin, Germany, Fritz Von Erich. 197 00:09:10,583 --> 00:09:12,985 [Kristen Nikolas] And there was a lot of potential 198 00:09:12,986 --> 00:09:14,154 in that character. 199 00:09:14,155 --> 00:09:16,388 [Commentator] And he is rough, and tough, and nasty. 200 00:09:16,389 --> 00:09:18,424 [David Manning] Growing up as a fan, if you watched TV, 201 00:09:18,425 --> 00:09:19,526 you knew Fritz. 202 00:09:19,527 --> 00:09:21,293 [Commentator] This guy is just vicious. 203 00:09:21,294 --> 00:09:23,929 [David Manning] He just looked the part of a villain, and, uh, 204 00:09:23,930 --> 00:09:26,198 and he played the part of a villain unbelievably. 205 00:09:26,199 --> 00:09:28,600 [Commentator] Fritz Von Erich and the master of the Iron Claw. 206 00:09:28,601 --> 00:09:31,837 [David Shoemaker] The Iron Claw was Fritz's infamous finishing 207 00:09:31,838 --> 00:09:35,108 hold, where he would take his big mitts and just wrap it 208 00:09:35,175 --> 00:09:38,144 around the skull and just squeeze until, 209 00:09:38,244 --> 00:09:41,080 sometimes until blood came out or until they gave up. 210 00:09:41,081 --> 00:09:45,784 [Kristen Nikolas] That character was beneficial for his family, 211 00:09:45,785 --> 00:09:47,187 and he was a family man. 212 00:09:47,188 --> 00:09:48,620 He wanted Jackie to have everything, 213 00:09:48,621 --> 00:09:50,123 his wife to be taken care of. 214 00:09:56,463 --> 00:09:58,898 [Speaker 1] Granddad, what year were you born? 215 00:09:58,998 --> 00:10:00,967 [Kevin Von Erich] Um, 1957. 216 00:10:04,537 --> 00:10:07,440 [Kristen Nikolas] Aww, that is- so that's daddy, right? 217 00:10:07,507 --> 00:10:08,608 [Speaker 2] Oh, okay. 218 00:10:08,609 --> 00:10:10,242 [Kristen Nikolas] Okay, so Uncle Jackie and you. 219 00:10:10,243 --> 00:10:11,510 [Speaker 2] Yeah. 220 00:10:11,511 --> 00:10:13,979 [Kevin Von Erich] By 1957, it was just the two of us, me, 221 00:10:13,980 --> 00:10:16,316 Jackie, and my mom and dad. 222 00:10:20,153 --> 00:10:21,855 My mother loved her two children. 223 00:10:21,955 --> 00:10:24,224 She loved me and Jackie so much. 224 00:10:24,290 --> 00:10:29,462 My mother was so full of love, and my dad loved her. 225 00:10:29,529 --> 00:10:32,866 We were happy and jovial, and it was a great time. 226 00:10:32,867 --> 00:10:35,667 [Kristen Nikolas] There you are. 227 00:10:35,668 --> 00:10:37,070 Look at that cute baby. 228 00:10:37,071 --> 00:10:38,504 [Kevin Von Erich] Yeah, that's me. 229 00:10:38,505 --> 00:10:41,140 Jackie, uh, he was my big brother. 230 00:10:41,774 --> 00:10:44,277 [Kristen Nikolas] Aww, he loves you. 231 00:10:44,344 --> 00:10:45,845 Oh Jackie. 232 00:10:45,846 --> 00:10:48,413 [Kevin Von Erich] He had the best personality. 233 00:10:48,414 --> 00:10:51,150 He was, like, so funny, and- 234 00:10:51,818 --> 00:10:54,588 [Kristen Nikolas] Look, he's trying to make you laugh. 235 00:10:54,589 --> 00:10:55,988 [Kevin Von Erich] Jackie. 236 00:10:55,989 --> 00:10:58,725 [Kristen Nikolas] Big brother stuff. 237 00:11:00,593 --> 00:11:03,262 [Kevin Von Erich] It was in 1959 up in Niagara Falls. 238 00:11:03,263 --> 00:11:05,565 We didn't have money back then. 239 00:11:05,632 --> 00:11:10,170 We were- we lived in a trailer house, and one day Jackie wanted 240 00:11:10,236 --> 00:11:14,072 to go play, and my mother was busy, and so she said, 241 00:11:14,073 --> 00:11:15,308 "Yeah, go play." 242 00:11:15,309 --> 00:11:19,044 [Kristen Nikolas] Uncle Jackie asked if he could go to his 243 00:11:19,045 --> 00:11:21,748 friend's house a couple of mobile homes down, 244 00:11:22,549 --> 00:11:24,783 and Meme said, "Yes, just go ahead. 245 00:11:24,784 --> 00:11:27,353 Come- You can come home for lunch, but yes, go." 246 00:11:29,589 --> 00:11:33,860 Later on, Meme called her friend, and they chatted for a 247 00:11:33,960 --> 00:11:38,865 few minutes, and then she said, um, "You can send Jackie home. 248 00:11:38,932 --> 00:11:40,622 Thank you so much for having him." 249 00:11:40,833 --> 00:11:43,243 And her friend said, "Well, Jackie's not here." 250 00:11:44,537 --> 00:11:46,906 Meme said her heart dropped. 251 00:11:47,006 --> 00:11:49,176 She immediately knew something was wrong. 252 00:11:56,182 --> 00:11:59,352 [Jillian Caneda] That day, Meme was cleaning, 253 00:11:59,419 --> 00:12:04,123 and it was cold outside, and when she called her friend 254 00:12:04,124 --> 00:12:06,225 and said, "Hey, will you please send Jackie home?" 255 00:12:06,226 --> 00:12:08,161 She said, "Jackie never came over." 256 00:12:08,995 --> 00:12:12,699 I mean, as a mother, when you say- 257 00:12:12,799 --> 00:12:16,236 when you hear that, that's- I just can't imagine. 258 00:12:19,739 --> 00:12:23,709 [Kristen Nikolas] Meme dropped the phone, and just ran outside, 259 00:12:23,710 --> 00:12:25,311 looking, screaming his name. 260 00:12:27,080 --> 00:12:29,748 [Kevin Von Erich] And, uh, they couldn't find him, 261 00:12:29,749 --> 00:12:32,752 so everybody in the little town was looking for him. 262 00:12:32,753 --> 00:12:36,421 [Kristen Nikolas] Eventually, the neighbors say, 263 00:12:36,422 --> 00:12:37,623 just go home and wait. 264 00:12:37,624 --> 00:12:39,993 Go home and wait, and-and we're looking. 265 00:12:40,059 --> 00:12:41,527 Cops are on their way. 266 00:12:42,061 --> 00:12:43,663 So, Meme goes home. 267 00:12:44,264 --> 00:12:46,666 So, an officer knocked on the door. 268 00:12:47,266 --> 00:12:49,436 When she opened it, he said, "We found him." 269 00:12:54,307 --> 00:12:56,957 But she said his countenance didn't match his words. 270 00:12:57,343 --> 00:12:59,812 And she was just like, "Okay, give him to me. 271 00:12:59,879 --> 00:13:00,929 Give him to me." 272 00:13:00,930 --> 00:13:03,415 But she said there was this siren in her mind like, 273 00:13:03,416 --> 00:13:04,549 "Why is this- Why's he not happy? 274 00:13:04,550 --> 00:13:08,588 Why does his face not match what I'm hearing?" 275 00:13:09,055 --> 00:13:12,458 And, um, he just, you know, said, "We found him." 276 00:13:12,558 --> 00:13:14,968 And Meme said that she, like, he went to hug her, 277 00:13:15,028 --> 00:13:18,431 and she just punched him on the chest over and over, and, 278 00:13:18,498 --> 00:13:21,401 um, screamed and cried. 279 00:13:23,503 --> 00:13:28,308 At six years old, he was just gone, just like that. 280 00:13:31,044 --> 00:13:34,513 What happened was, in this mobile home park, someone had a 281 00:13:34,514 --> 00:13:38,284 little, uh, trailer or equipment room or something that had 282 00:13:38,351 --> 00:13:40,153 the sheet metal siding. 283 00:13:40,154 --> 00:13:42,821 [Kevin Von Erich] And so he was walking by it, rubbing his 284 00:13:42,822 --> 00:13:47,427 finger along it, and he touched a spot where the skin on the 285 00:13:47,493 --> 00:13:50,163 trailer had been electrified. 286 00:13:51,264 --> 00:13:53,074 The guy had wired his trailer wrong. 287 00:13:53,075 --> 00:13:55,067 [Kristen Nikolas] He touched it. 288 00:13:55,068 --> 00:13:56,569 It knocked him out. 289 00:13:56,636 --> 00:13:59,672 He was face down on the ground. 290 00:13:59,739 --> 00:14:03,276 Some snow had melted, so his face was in a puddle, um, 291 00:14:03,342 --> 00:14:06,679 and I think the actual cause of death was-was drowning. 292 00:14:09,482 --> 00:14:12,385 And then, whenever granddad finally did get home, 293 00:14:12,452 --> 00:14:17,657 I-I-I cannot even imagine, but just holding that news, 294 00:14:17,658 --> 00:14:19,357 and then he comes home, and you say, 295 00:14:19,358 --> 00:14:20,738 here's what happened today. 296 00:14:20,739 --> 00:14:24,863 [Kevin Von Erich] My dad came home and punched 297 00:14:24,864 --> 00:14:27,033 the car window and broke the glass. 298 00:14:27,867 --> 00:14:30,670 And it was, uh, you know, such a terrible time. 299 00:14:31,838 --> 00:14:35,374 [Doris Von Erich] Losing Jackie, our first baby, 300 00:14:35,975 --> 00:14:37,477 was a terrible blow to me. 301 00:14:37,478 --> 00:14:42,247 [Kristen Nikolas] Listening to her tell that story 302 00:14:42,248 --> 00:14:46,185 made me realize, oh, she changed at that point. 303 00:14:50,022 --> 00:14:52,825 She had an anger towards God. 304 00:14:53,493 --> 00:14:56,323 "God, if you're real, why did you let my little boy die?" 305 00:14:57,063 --> 00:15:00,099 She loved Him, but she felt like, almost like that God owed 306 00:15:00,199 --> 00:15:03,870 her one for letting her baby be taken. 307 00:15:06,139 --> 00:15:10,009 And at the time, granddad blamed himself for being gone. 308 00:15:10,943 --> 00:15:14,013 Meme blamed herself too, but she also blamed granddad 309 00:15:14,080 --> 00:15:15,281 for being gone. 310 00:15:16,115 --> 00:15:20,986 So, I think that sort of cumulatively, as time went on, 311 00:15:20,987 --> 00:15:24,557 that, you know, anger, that resentment, sort of, 312 00:15:24,624 --> 00:15:26,592 just built upon itself. 313 00:15:30,730 --> 00:15:35,100 [Fritz Von Erich] Anyone that loses a child, um, 314 00:15:35,101 --> 00:15:37,503 there's no pain and no hurt anyone can ever go 315 00:15:37,603 --> 00:15:40,106 through unless you lose one of your children. 316 00:15:40,107 --> 00:15:41,673 [Interviewer] How did you feel about God at that time? 317 00:15:41,674 --> 00:15:42,874 [Fritz Von Erich] I didn't- I didn't have a- 318 00:15:42,875 --> 00:15:44,510 I didn't have a Lord at the time. 319 00:15:44,511 --> 00:15:45,710 I didn't-didn't know he was there, 320 00:15:45,711 --> 00:15:47,213 didn't think he was there. 321 00:15:47,280 --> 00:15:48,481 I just turned. 322 00:15:48,482 --> 00:15:50,182 I said, "Lord, if you're there, if you'll get me back to Texas," 323 00:15:50,183 --> 00:15:54,153 I said, "I will follow You the rest of my life." 324 00:15:54,587 --> 00:15:55,755 He got me back to Texas. 325 00:15:56,389 --> 00:15:58,991 It took a long time, and it wasn't in a straight line. 326 00:15:59,358 --> 00:16:01,108 We went like this, but we got there. 327 00:16:03,262 --> 00:16:07,200 [Kristen Nikolas] After Uncle Jackie died, granddad, when he 328 00:16:07,201 --> 00:16:10,202 had the opportunity to wrestle in Dallas regularly or in Texas, 329 00:16:10,203 --> 00:16:15,474 I think that they wanted to pursue that for sure because 330 00:16:15,541 --> 00:16:17,410 it meant that they could, you know, 331 00:16:17,476 --> 00:16:20,513 be together more and wouldn't have to be separate. 332 00:16:20,947 --> 00:16:26,085 So, my grandparents and my dad, they moved back to Texas. 333 00:16:31,509 --> 00:16:33,425 [Joe] Oh, wow. 334 00:16:33,426 --> 00:16:34,426 [Kevin Von Erich] There's our ranch. 335 00:16:34,427 --> 00:16:35,627 [Speaker] Wow. 336 00:16:35,628 --> 00:16:38,578 [Kristen Nikolas] That's where your great uncles grew up. 337 00:16:38,579 --> 00:16:41,833 [Kevin Von Erich] So, after I was born, 338 00:16:41,834 --> 00:16:44,637 my mother had four kids, all boys. 339 00:16:44,704 --> 00:16:52,645 Dave was born in 1958, Kerry in 1960, Mike was born in 1964, 340 00:16:52,712 --> 00:16:55,348 and then Chris was born in 1969. 341 00:16:55,349 --> 00:16:58,016 [Kristen Nikolas] Look at Uncle Chris. 342 00:16:58,017 --> 00:16:59,184 [Speaker] What's he riding there? 343 00:16:59,185 --> 00:17:00,719 [Kevin Von Erich] There's Chris. 344 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:03,055 My little brothers thought the world of me, 345 00:17:03,155 --> 00:17:04,991 and I was really protective of them. 346 00:17:05,057 --> 00:17:07,159 And-and I just fell into the job. 347 00:17:07,226 --> 00:17:10,462 That was me, now I'm-I'm big brother and I- 348 00:17:10,463 --> 00:17:11,998 and I loved my brothers. 349 00:17:11,999 --> 00:17:14,900 [Kristen Nikolas] Look at you and Uncle Dave, Daddy. 350 00:17:14,901 --> 00:17:16,771 [Kevin Von Erich] Yeah, skinny Dave. 351 00:17:17,270 --> 00:17:21,474 We always hunted and fished and, uh, spent time together. 352 00:17:23,976 --> 00:17:26,445 You know, what great memories we had. 353 00:17:26,446 --> 00:17:27,379 We all had horses. 354 00:17:27,380 --> 00:17:29,081 We rode horses everywhere. 355 00:17:29,082 --> 00:17:31,316 [Speaker] Didn't everyone have their own motorcycle 356 00:17:31,317 --> 00:17:32,217 and their own dog? 357 00:17:32,218 --> 00:17:33,585 [Kevin Von Erich] Yeah, we sure did. 358 00:17:33,586 --> 00:17:36,116 And our own BB gun and we- that's what we did all day. 359 00:17:40,359 --> 00:17:43,796 [Brian Adias] Kerry and I grew up together at their house out 360 00:17:43,863 --> 00:17:45,063 there in their ranch. 361 00:17:45,064 --> 00:17:47,066 Uh, it was like Disneyland. 362 00:17:47,667 --> 00:17:51,237 Wear shorts and barefooted, no shirt all through summer. 363 00:17:51,304 --> 00:17:52,672 So, that type of stuff. 364 00:17:52,673 --> 00:17:54,072 [Kevin Von Erich] Oh, that was me. 365 00:17:54,073 --> 00:17:54,873 That's a flip. 366 00:17:54,874 --> 00:17:55,840 [Speaker] Really? 367 00:17:55,841 --> 00:17:57,075 [Kevin Von Erich] Twist- a twisting flip. 368 00:17:57,076 --> 00:17:58,310 [Speaker] You never told me you could do a- 369 00:17:58,311 --> 00:17:59,277 [Kevin Von Erich] Oh, yeah. 370 00:17:59,278 --> 00:18:00,245 [Speaker] A front flip. 371 00:18:00,246 --> 00:18:01,513 [Kevin Von Erich] I said to my dad one day, 372 00:18:01,514 --> 00:18:02,948 "Dad, what should I do for a living? 373 00:18:02,949 --> 00:18:05,284 I-I-I like to brag and I'm a show off." 374 00:18:05,351 --> 00:18:08,020 He said, "You might want to try pro wrestling, son. 375 00:18:08,120 --> 00:18:09,755 [laughing] 376 00:18:11,223 --> 00:18:14,026 [Kristen Nikolas] After Uncle Jackie passed away, 377 00:18:14,093 --> 00:18:21,266 Meme and granddad had this idea that the world is dangerous, 378 00:18:21,267 --> 00:18:26,973 and they both had the desire to keep their family safe 379 00:18:27,039 --> 00:18:31,143 from the ugliness of this world. 380 00:18:31,911 --> 00:18:36,382 So, they tried to make their house be the fun house 381 00:18:36,482 --> 00:18:38,042 where you wouldn't wanna leave. 382 00:18:39,185 --> 00:18:43,756 [Jillian Caneda] At that time, my Meme was unbelievably strong. 383 00:18:45,024 --> 00:18:48,561 I mean, she had to- she had to keep it together. 384 00:18:49,061 --> 00:18:52,198 To lose a six-year-old is, how do you go on? 385 00:18:52,199 --> 00:18:54,466 And whatever she did, I think she did it right. 386 00:18:54,467 --> 00:19:01,240 I just think it's amazing that both of them had this mentality 387 00:19:01,307 --> 00:19:05,077 to hold it all together like that, both of them. 388 00:19:05,078 --> 00:19:09,547 [Interviewer] Tell me about raising the boys. 389 00:19:09,548 --> 00:19:10,949 [Fritz Von Erich] The greatest memories I have in my life 390 00:19:10,950 --> 00:19:12,250 is raising those young ones. 391 00:19:12,251 --> 00:19:13,386 Um, gosh, it was fun. 392 00:19:13,452 --> 00:19:14,954 I wish I could do it again. 393 00:19:14,955 --> 00:19:16,888 [Kevin Von Erich] I think that my dad learned 394 00:19:16,889 --> 00:19:18,423 a lot from his youth. 395 00:19:18,424 --> 00:19:20,659 Even though his father didn't- He wasn't around. 396 00:19:20,660 --> 00:19:23,029 He learned from that. 397 00:19:23,095 --> 00:19:25,564 He's gonna be the kind of father that is around. 398 00:19:25,565 --> 00:19:26,665 [Fritz Von Erich] Don't misunderstand me. 399 00:19:26,666 --> 00:19:28,066 I made a lot of mistakes raising my children, 400 00:19:28,067 --> 00:19:30,503 but my wife and I loved every minute of it. 401 00:19:30,504 --> 00:19:32,070 That may be the difference in a lot of folks. 402 00:19:32,071 --> 00:19:33,272 They don't love it. 403 00:19:33,273 --> 00:19:35,640 [Kristen Nikolas] A lot of the home movies that we have, 404 00:19:35,641 --> 00:19:37,075 you can hear grandad talking. 405 00:19:37,076 --> 00:19:40,311 He's narrating the whole thing and just laughing and chuckling. 406 00:19:40,312 --> 00:19:45,418 [laughing] 407 00:19:45,419 --> 00:19:47,152 [Kristen Nikolas] He didn't have parents that wanted 408 00:19:47,153 --> 00:19:49,254 to spend time with him, so he wanted to be a dad that- 409 00:19:49,255 --> 00:19:51,725 that did, that wanted to spend time with his kids. 410 00:19:51,726 --> 00:19:53,992 [Commentator] In the history of wrestling, 411 00:19:53,993 --> 00:19:56,061 who would you say is the greatest wrestler of all time? 412 00:19:56,062 --> 00:19:59,465 [laughing] 413 00:19:59,466 --> 00:20:00,465 [Fritz Von Erich] That's a rather leading question, 414 00:20:00,466 --> 00:20:01,516 don't you think? 415 00:20:01,517 --> 00:20:02,600 Who do you think the answer is going to be there? 416 00:20:02,601 --> 00:20:03,535 [Commentator] I would say Fritz Von Erich. 417 00:20:03,536 --> 00:20:04,469 [Fritz Von Erich] Right. 418 00:20:04,470 --> 00:20:05,336 There's no doubt about that. 419 00:20:05,337 --> 00:20:06,638 The most winning wrestler. 420 00:20:06,639 --> 00:20:08,039 The wrestler that's drawing the most money in the world today 421 00:20:08,040 --> 00:20:09,875 has got to be Fritz Von Erich. 422 00:20:10,376 --> 00:20:13,679 [Brian Adias] At the time, Fritz, he just became, uh, 423 00:20:13,746 --> 00:20:17,450 an idol around here in Dallas-Fort Worth area. 424 00:20:17,451 --> 00:20:20,351 [Commentator] Fritz Von Erich, by his own admission, 425 00:20:20,352 --> 00:20:21,912 the world's greatest wrestler. 426 00:20:21,913 --> 00:20:23,655 [JBL] People in Texas loved 427 00:20:23,656 --> 00:20:24,823 Fritz Von Erich. 428 00:20:24,824 --> 00:20:27,292 I mean, he was- That guy could have been king of Texas. 429 00:20:27,293 --> 00:20:29,627 [Kevin Von Erich] I remember Coach Landry and guys from the 430 00:20:29,628 --> 00:20:32,264 Cowboys would call my dad for advice and I-I- 431 00:20:32,331 --> 00:20:36,001 just never really dawned on me how important he was. 432 00:20:37,103 --> 00:20:40,973 And not just Texas, but all over, all over the world. 433 00:20:42,341 --> 00:20:46,512 My dad was a big star in Japan and, uh, he took each one of us. 434 00:20:46,513 --> 00:20:48,079 [Fritz Von Erich] Kevin's the first one of my sons 435 00:20:48,080 --> 00:20:49,882 to go on the trip. 436 00:20:49,949 --> 00:20:55,421 I don't think Kevin even had any idea, uh, 437 00:20:55,521 --> 00:20:57,151 what to expect when he got there. 438 00:20:57,152 --> 00:21:00,558 [Kevin Von Erich] The first time I went with him, 439 00:21:00,559 --> 00:21:02,595 I looked out the window and there 440 00:21:02,661 --> 00:21:05,898 were all these photographers, like, so many, 441 00:21:05,998 --> 00:21:08,834 a-a hu- a hu- at least a hundred photographers. 442 00:21:08,835 --> 00:21:11,636 I said, "Dad, there's some kind of movie star. 443 00:21:11,637 --> 00:21:13,872 You should see all the photographers outside." 444 00:21:13,873 --> 00:21:16,509 And my dad, that's who they were there to see. 445 00:21:16,575 --> 00:21:18,043 I couldn't believe it. 446 00:21:18,044 --> 00:21:20,111 [Fritz Von Erich] They just wanted to see us. 447 00:21:20,112 --> 00:21:22,882 They wanted to see, uh, yeah, the guy with The Iron Claw. 448 00:21:22,883 --> 00:21:24,616 [Kevin Von Erich] When we were young kids, you know, 449 00:21:24,617 --> 00:21:26,050 just like any other little fella out there, 450 00:21:26,051 --> 00:21:27,652 we, uh, we wanted to be just like our dad. 451 00:21:27,653 --> 00:21:29,755 I guess all of y'all are the same way. 452 00:21:29,822 --> 00:21:31,022 [Commentator] True. 453 00:21:31,023 --> 00:21:33,258 [Kevin Von Erich] And, uh, you know, so we tried extra hard 454 00:21:33,259 --> 00:21:35,293 to- I-I guess, you know, young kids are just that way. 455 00:21:35,294 --> 00:21:38,030 Anything my dad did, you know, he was like- 456 00:21:38,097 --> 00:21:39,498 we just wanted to be like him. 457 00:21:39,499 --> 00:21:41,633 [David Shoemaker] Someone with Jack Adkisson's mindset, 458 00:21:41,634 --> 00:21:45,004 he wants to conquer the world, and by this time, 459 00:21:45,005 --> 00:21:47,438 you know, he knew how the business of pro wrestling 460 00:21:47,439 --> 00:21:50,543 worked, and I think he probably just thought, 461 00:21:50,643 --> 00:21:52,311 if I'm gonna make a go of this, 462 00:21:52,378 --> 00:21:54,446 if it's worth my time to be a wrestler, 463 00:21:54,513 --> 00:21:57,116 it's more worth my time to be running everything. 464 00:21:57,750 --> 00:21:59,860 He kind of took over the Dallas promotion. 465 00:22:00,586 --> 00:22:04,523 [Bruce Prichard] Now, Fritz was the promoter, and Fritz then 466 00:22:04,590 --> 00:22:09,028 used that opportunity to exert his power and to, kind of, 467 00:22:09,094 --> 00:22:12,798 take over the booking of the Texas territory 468 00:22:12,865 --> 00:22:14,233 in all of the Texas towns. 469 00:22:14,234 --> 00:22:17,502 [David Shoemaker] Nobody realizes it at the time, 470 00:22:17,503 --> 00:22:21,673 but the path for the Von Erich boys is being set here, 471 00:22:21,674 --> 00:22:24,243 and in a lot of ways, that would be a shadow 472 00:22:24,310 --> 00:22:26,011 over the family forever. 473 00:22:30,749 --> 00:22:33,339 [Kevin Von Erich] All of my brothers were in sports. 474 00:22:33,352 --> 00:22:37,422 Me, Dave, Kerry, Mike, we're all athletes, 475 00:22:37,423 --> 00:22:39,725 and we were good at it, 476 00:22:39,792 --> 00:22:42,728 but with Chris, uh, he had asthma and had 477 00:22:42,795 --> 00:22:43,995 to take medicine for it, 478 00:22:44,430 --> 00:22:49,568 and it, uh, it stunted his growth and it- 479 00:22:49,569 --> 00:22:51,069 He couldn't breathe. 480 00:22:51,070 --> 00:22:52,937 He really couldn't get enough air to- 481 00:22:52,938 --> 00:22:54,748 to really be a successful athlete, 482 00:22:54,807 --> 00:22:56,274 and that's just too bad. 483 00:22:56,275 --> 00:23:00,412 That's just the way it is, but me, Dave, Kerry, Mike, 484 00:23:00,479 --> 00:23:02,681 we just had a gift for it. 485 00:23:02,682 --> 00:23:05,984 [Brian Adias] Kevin, I mean, in high school, 486 00:23:05,985 --> 00:23:08,186 he really loved football, man. 487 00:23:08,187 --> 00:23:10,289 Nobody could tackle him. 488 00:23:10,290 --> 00:23:12,290 He'd just run over everybody, you know. 489 00:23:12,291 --> 00:23:14,341 So, there was one game, he-he averaged, 490 00:23:14,393 --> 00:23:16,762 like, 21 yards a carry. 491 00:23:16,763 --> 00:23:18,863 [Kevin Von Erich] When dad would come to the football games, 492 00:23:18,864 --> 00:23:20,064 it'd be a touchdown or something. 493 00:23:20,065 --> 00:23:23,635 I'd look up in the audience, and I'd see his hands do this, 494 00:23:23,636 --> 00:23:25,069 [claps] 495 00:23:25,070 --> 00:23:26,237 and that's all I cared about. 496 00:23:26,238 --> 00:23:29,441 That's all I wanted to see, was how he felt about it. 497 00:23:29,442 --> 00:23:31,042 [Brian Adias] David was 6'7", 498 00:23:31,043 --> 00:23:32,853 so he was a great basketball player. 499 00:23:32,854 --> 00:23:35,380 [Fritz Von Erich] In Lake Dallas, the only All-State 500 00:23:35,381 --> 00:23:37,971 athletes that that school has ever had were my sons. 501 00:23:37,983 --> 00:23:41,987 David's All-State in basketball, two consecutive years, 502 00:23:42,054 --> 00:23:46,058 but the kids, um, I've been very proud of them. 503 00:23:46,184 --> 00:23:49,560 [Brian Adias] It was, kind of, cool. 504 00:23:49,561 --> 00:23:51,262 David and Kevin both got scholarships to North Texas 505 00:23:51,263 --> 00:23:55,033 which when North Texas was really a Division One, 506 00:23:55,034 --> 00:23:56,368 you know, powerhouse. 507 00:23:56,369 --> 00:23:59,937 Kevin went first, and then David went the next year and played 508 00:23:59,938 --> 00:24:01,874 basketball and football. 509 00:24:01,875 --> 00:24:05,843 [Kevin Von Erich] I went to college to play football. 510 00:24:05,844 --> 00:24:08,713 I didn't care about my degree or anything like that. 511 00:24:08,714 --> 00:24:12,484 I loved football, and that's all I could think about. 512 00:24:12,485 --> 00:24:14,786 [Brian Adias] It was his freshman year. 513 00:24:14,787 --> 00:24:17,422 I was there, me and Kerry went to watch the game in Denton 514 00:24:17,423 --> 00:24:20,926 at North Texas, and I think, somebody got blocked into him, 515 00:24:20,993 --> 00:24:25,264 his own man or something, and just tore his ACL. 516 00:24:25,265 --> 00:24:27,065 You know, just one of the worst things. 517 00:24:27,066 --> 00:24:29,467 And he came back with a vengeance, and I'll be dadgummit 518 00:24:29,468 --> 00:24:32,571 if he didn't hurt the other one his sophomore year. 519 00:24:34,406 --> 00:24:37,443 [Kevin Von Erich] With my knees out, I could tell it took 520 00:24:37,509 --> 00:24:39,244 something from my quickness. 521 00:24:39,545 --> 00:24:44,349 Football wasn't as much fun to me, and so, uh, 522 00:24:44,350 --> 00:24:47,820 it was just a matter of time before I quit playing it. 523 00:24:47,920 --> 00:24:50,556 It was over, and now a time to make a living. 524 00:24:51,457 --> 00:24:56,195 So, I dropped out of college, and I gave wrestling a try. 525 00:24:58,664 --> 00:25:01,434 [David Shoemaker] Kevin Von Erich was the oldest son, 526 00:25:01,500 --> 00:25:03,610 and the first to give pro wrestling a shot. 527 00:25:03,611 --> 00:25:06,137 When he decided to get in, he didn't have to look far. 528 00:25:06,138 --> 00:25:09,008 I mean, his dad ran the local promotion. 529 00:25:09,074 --> 00:25:12,511 By then, Jack had taken over the Dallas promotion, what's now 530 00:25:12,578 --> 00:25:14,947 known as World Class Championship Wrestling. 531 00:25:15,047 --> 00:25:17,397 So, this is slowly becoming a family business. 532 00:25:18,550 --> 00:25:21,619 [JBL] I remember when Kevin debuted 533 00:25:21,620 --> 00:25:22,700 like it was yesterday. 534 00:25:23,789 --> 00:25:26,739 I remember it because I was such a big fan of Fritz Von Erich. 535 00:25:26,759 --> 00:25:29,627 And then Kevin debuts, and he's this- he's this really 536 00:25:29,628 --> 00:25:32,064 good-looking young guy with this great body. 537 00:25:32,131 --> 00:25:34,566 He's this incredible star athlete. 538 00:25:34,633 --> 00:25:35,683 You're like, 539 00:25:35,684 --> 00:25:38,069 "Wow, this guy could carry on the Von Erich legacy." 540 00:25:38,070 --> 00:25:40,071 [Commentator] Kevin majored in football and suffered an injury, 541 00:25:40,072 --> 00:25:43,875 and football's loss became professional wrestling's gain. 542 00:25:43,876 --> 00:25:45,710 [Kevin Von Erich] In fact, when I started out wrestling, 543 00:25:45,711 --> 00:25:47,513 we had to change buildings 544 00:25:47,579 --> 00:25:49,515 because the crowd was getting bigger. 545 00:25:49,516 --> 00:25:52,417 [Commentator] From the Will Rogers Complex in Fort Worth, 546 00:25:52,418 --> 00:25:54,920 here's Saturday Night Wrestling. 547 00:25:54,921 --> 00:25:56,421 [Kevin Von Erich] There was the writing on the wall. 548 00:25:56,422 --> 00:26:00,225 I could never make this kind of money cleaning catfish and 549 00:26:00,226 --> 00:26:01,259 [laughing] 550 00:26:01,260 --> 00:26:02,628 washing dishes. 551 00:26:02,694 --> 00:26:05,863 [David Shoemaker] Meanwhile, David starts to take notice of 552 00:26:05,864 --> 00:26:08,466 what his brother Kevin was doing out there in the wrestling ring. 553 00:26:08,467 --> 00:26:10,997 So, even as a college student, he begins to dabble 554 00:26:11,003 --> 00:26:13,205 in his dad's business as well. 555 00:26:13,206 --> 00:26:15,540 [Commentator] David Von Erich, high school All-Stater 556 00:26:15,541 --> 00:26:17,676 in basketball. 557 00:26:17,677 --> 00:26:19,644 [Kevin Von Erich] Dave loved basketball. 558 00:26:19,645 --> 00:26:21,935 When Dave got his first wrestling paycheck- 559 00:26:21,980 --> 00:26:24,183 [crowd cheers] 560 00:26:24,184 --> 00:26:26,617 [Commentator] Whoa, that must have broken some boards. 561 00:26:26,618 --> 00:26:29,388 [Kevin Von Erich] -he thought, "Goodbye basketball." 562 00:26:29,389 --> 00:26:31,856 [Announcer] Introducing from Denton, Texas, 563 00:26:31,857 --> 00:26:34,660 weighing 236 pounds, David Von Erich. 564 00:26:34,661 --> 00:26:37,028 [Brian Adias] David was the one that picked up 565 00:26:37,029 --> 00:26:40,365 on the psychology of the- of matches really well. 566 00:26:40,366 --> 00:26:41,299 [Commentator] Reversal. 567 00:26:41,300 --> 00:26:42,500 Rolling cradle by David. 568 00:26:42,501 --> 00:26:44,001 [Brian Adias] Man, he was really good. 569 00:26:44,002 --> 00:26:45,603 [Commentator] David blocks Race's suplex. 570 00:26:45,604 --> 00:26:46,772 Lifts Race. 571 00:26:46,839 --> 00:26:49,074 Suplex by David Von Erich. 572 00:26:49,075 --> 00:26:50,741 [Bruce Prichard] David had all the tools. 573 00:26:50,742 --> 00:26:52,277 David was a natural. 574 00:26:52,278 --> 00:26:54,779 [Commentator] It has been simply all David Von Erich 575 00:26:54,780 --> 00:26:57,516 who has dominated Harley Race. 576 00:26:57,983 --> 00:27:00,813 [Kevin Von Erich] 18 years old, he had his first sell out. 577 00:27:00,853 --> 00:27:03,956 That's pretty young to sell out a building like he did, 578 00:27:04,022 --> 00:27:05,724 Dave and Harley Race. 579 00:27:05,725 --> 00:27:07,425 [Commentator] Oh, he caught him in the claw. 580 00:27:07,426 --> 00:27:09,128 He caught Race in the claw. 581 00:27:09,194 --> 00:27:10,596 That's it. 582 00:27:10,662 --> 00:27:12,631 [bell rings] 583 00:27:12,632 --> 00:27:13,831 [Commentator] David Von Erich. 584 00:27:13,832 --> 00:27:16,068 [crowd cheers] 585 00:27:16,168 --> 00:27:20,506 [Harley Race] I've known his old man for a long time. 586 00:27:20,606 --> 00:27:25,444 He's legend, and this kid right here is not damn far behind. 587 00:27:25,511 --> 00:27:30,114 [crowd cheers] 588 00:27:30,115 --> 00:27:32,184 [Commentator] Harley Race. 589 00:27:35,721 --> 00:27:38,311 [Kevin Von Erich] Dave and I were pro wrestlers now. 590 00:27:38,624 --> 00:27:41,193 My dad, he never really wanted us to wrestle. 591 00:27:41,260 --> 00:27:42,995 He really didn't. 592 00:27:43,061 --> 00:27:47,432 He wanted us to go to college and have desk jobs. 593 00:27:47,433 --> 00:27:50,868 [Fritz Von Erich] I never wanted my boys to be in wrestling. 594 00:27:50,869 --> 00:27:54,273 What I didn't realize was that's the only life they'd ever known. 595 00:27:54,274 --> 00:27:55,540 [Kevin Von Erich] My dad was a pro wrestler, 596 00:27:55,541 --> 00:27:56,874 and so that's the way we were brought up. 597 00:27:56,875 --> 00:27:59,911 We wanted to be the best we possibly could, and so, uh, 598 00:27:59,912 --> 00:28:01,746 my dad never pressured us into wrestling or pressured 599 00:28:01,747 --> 00:28:02,680 us into anything. 600 00:28:02,681 --> 00:28:03,941 We just wanted to compete. 601 00:28:03,942 --> 00:28:05,449 [David Manning] They literally had to talk Fritz 602 00:28:05,450 --> 00:28:07,070 into letting them start working. 603 00:28:07,071 --> 00:28:08,185 [Commentator] And there's David. 604 00:28:08,186 --> 00:28:08,953 Look at that. 605 00:28:08,954 --> 00:28:10,756 Over the top and a big dropkick. 606 00:28:10,757 --> 00:28:12,390 [Kevin Von Erich] Dad really didn't like that. 607 00:28:12,391 --> 00:28:15,227 I say he didn't like it, but the buildings were packed. 608 00:28:15,294 --> 00:28:17,829 We got sell-out crowds every week. 609 00:28:17,830 --> 00:28:19,197 [Commentator] Kevin Von Erich, 610 00:28:19,198 --> 00:28:21,633 that's what the people here wanna see. 611 00:28:21,700 --> 00:28:24,830 [Kevin Von Erich] My dad was the promoter too, so he liked that. 612 00:28:24,831 --> 00:28:26,270 [Fritz Von Erich] I think we have the very finest 613 00:28:26,271 --> 00:28:28,072 professional wrestlers in the world. 614 00:28:28,073 --> 00:28:30,541 Coming up, my son, Kevin, my oldest boy, Kevin Von Erich. 615 00:28:30,542 --> 00:28:32,710 Just stay with us, you're gonna enjoy this. 616 00:28:32,711 --> 00:28:33,744 [Commentator] I don't believe this. 617 00:28:33,745 --> 00:28:34,813 Look at Kevin. 618 00:28:34,880 --> 00:28:35,930 Oh. 619 00:28:35,931 --> 00:28:38,149 [Jillian Caneda] The oldest brother wrestled, 620 00:28:38,150 --> 00:28:39,917 so the younger brother wanted to wrestle. 621 00:28:39,918 --> 00:28:43,355 And my grandmother, she said that whatever they did, 622 00:28:43,422 --> 00:28:47,326 my granddad made them do it 110%. 623 00:28:47,392 --> 00:28:51,463 So, he did give them a choice, but if they wanted to, 624 00:28:51,530 --> 00:28:53,664 he made sure that they committed 100%. 625 00:28:53,665 --> 00:28:55,165 And she was supportive of that. 626 00:28:55,166 --> 00:28:58,302 [Kevin Von Erich] And then also, my dad didn't have to pay us 627 00:28:58,303 --> 00:28:59,870 like he did the other guys. 628 00:28:59,871 --> 00:29:02,873 We didn't mind that dad didn't pay us like the other wrestlers. 629 00:29:02,874 --> 00:29:05,477 It was okay with us, you know, 'cause everything 630 00:29:05,544 --> 00:29:06,678 was working out great. 631 00:29:06,679 --> 00:29:07,912 [David Von Erich] We have probably the- 632 00:29:07,913 --> 00:29:10,114 the greatest wrestling father of all times, uh, 633 00:29:10,115 --> 00:29:12,583 a man by the name of Fritz Von Erich. 634 00:29:12,584 --> 00:29:15,586 Our ambition in life is to live up to his name 635 00:29:15,587 --> 00:29:17,577 and do as well as he's done in this sport. 636 00:29:17,578 --> 00:29:20,825 [Kevin Von Erich] We had a family, and we're a family, 637 00:29:20,826 --> 00:29:22,828 and we did it for the family. 638 00:29:22,894 --> 00:29:26,498 And-and it's not for my family or for Dave's family. 639 00:29:26,598 --> 00:29:28,467 It was for the family. 640 00:29:31,670 --> 00:29:35,274 At the time, my brother Dave got married young. 641 00:29:35,340 --> 00:29:41,913 Uh, he had a girlfriend and, um, 642 00:29:41,980 --> 00:29:44,630 wanted to do the right thing and marry her, and he did. 643 00:29:44,631 --> 00:29:46,384 [David Shoemaker] Around this time, David's girlfriend, 644 00:29:46,385 --> 00:29:48,086 Candy, gets pregnant. 645 00:29:48,153 --> 00:29:50,822 And in 1978, their daughter, Natasha, is born. 646 00:29:50,823 --> 00:29:54,825 [Brian Adias] David was real excited about her, you know. 647 00:29:54,826 --> 00:29:58,997 And, uh, Candy was just a-a wonderful mother. 648 00:29:58,998 --> 00:30:01,399 [David Manning] Once they had the child, he was already 649 00:30:01,400 --> 00:30:04,268 talking like, "Man, I-I don't wanna be on the road as much. 650 00:30:04,269 --> 00:30:06,071 It makes it hard. 651 00:30:06,072 --> 00:30:07,538 He was so excited about the cruise. 652 00:30:07,539 --> 00:30:08,506 I'll never forget. 653 00:30:08,507 --> 00:30:09,407 He was- 654 00:30:09,408 --> 00:30:10,307 They were going on a cruise. 655 00:30:10,308 --> 00:30:11,542 They had never been on a cruise. 656 00:30:11,543 --> 00:30:14,373 And back then, hardly anybody had been on a cruise, but- 657 00:30:16,481 --> 00:30:20,986 And then, sure enough, Dave, he gets a phone call. 658 00:30:21,053 --> 00:30:23,622 They were able to get a hold of him and, uh, 659 00:30:23,722 --> 00:30:26,191 let him know that the child had died. 660 00:30:27,192 --> 00:30:29,428 ? 661 00:30:29,494 --> 00:30:32,831 [Brian Adias] It was SIDS, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. 662 00:30:33,465 --> 00:30:34,900 It was just horrific, man. 663 00:30:35,046 --> 00:30:38,269 [David Manning] We didn't understand. 664 00:30:38,270 --> 00:30:40,839 I mean, how does a child just, you know. 665 00:30:40,906 --> 00:30:42,774 Back then, SIDS was a huge question. 666 00:30:42,841 --> 00:30:45,644 And, you know, that a- that a child could just- 667 00:30:45,645 --> 00:30:47,678 a baby could just die in the middle of the night 668 00:30:47,679 --> 00:30:49,369 that had been perfectly healthy. 669 00:30:49,448 --> 00:30:51,983 Uh, but that's what happened, you know. 670 00:30:53,852 --> 00:30:56,388 Obviously, that was a big blow for Dave. 671 00:30:56,389 --> 00:31:01,392 [Brian Adias] David and Candy, it affected their relationship. 672 00:31:01,393 --> 00:31:03,461 They just kind of drifted apart, and they ended up 673 00:31:03,462 --> 00:31:05,230 getting a divorce. 674 00:31:05,864 --> 00:31:06,998 It was tough, you know. 675 00:31:07,065 --> 00:31:09,134 Nobody-nobody wants to bury their kids. 676 00:31:11,303 --> 00:31:15,240 [David Shoemaker] Jack Jr., Fritz's firstborn son, had died. 677 00:31:15,307 --> 00:31:21,313 And then Jack's first grandchild dies of SIDS. 678 00:31:21,314 --> 00:31:23,714 I don't know at that point if you start thinking in terms 679 00:31:23,715 --> 00:31:26,183 of a curse, but it really does seem like 680 00:31:26,184 --> 00:31:29,020 there's a bad moon hanging over this family. 681 00:31:31,056 --> 00:31:34,959 [Announcer] On our left, the sensational 682 00:31:34,960 --> 00:31:37,529 Von Erich brothers, David and Kevin. 683 00:31:37,596 --> 00:31:40,098 [crowd cheers] 684 00:31:40,099 --> 00:31:42,900 [Kevin Von Erich] Dave and I were on the road a lot. 685 00:31:42,901 --> 00:31:44,969 [Commentator] Off the ropes and a big dropkick. 686 00:31:44,970 --> 00:31:46,937 [Kevin Von Erich] We were performing, 687 00:31:46,938 --> 00:31:51,877 and so we weren't home like, uh, like Kerry was. 688 00:31:52,711 --> 00:31:57,082 At home, when Kerry was the big brother and Dave and I were out, 689 00:31:57,149 --> 00:32:00,786 Kerry was a lot more permissive than Dave and I were. 690 00:32:01,753 --> 00:32:05,357 Kerry was that way with Mike and Chris, and he'd let things go. 691 00:32:05,424 --> 00:32:09,728 Things like, uh, drinking, staying out. 692 00:32:09,795 --> 00:32:15,300 Dave and I would have never let that go, and Kerry was all about 693 00:32:15,400 --> 00:32:20,005 fun, about- Everybody loved him, and he was so good inside. 694 00:32:20,672 --> 00:32:22,307 He just wanted to make you laugh. 695 00:32:22,308 --> 00:32:25,242 [Brian Adias] Kerry was pleasant all the time, 696 00:32:25,243 --> 00:32:26,878 laughing and joking. 697 00:32:26,945 --> 00:32:29,881 Uh, playing ribs constantly. 698 00:32:30,382 --> 00:32:34,986 But, uh, also, Kerry was, uh, the- really an elite athlete. 699 00:32:34,987 --> 00:32:38,823 [Kevin Von Erich] The Von Erichs were all athletes, 700 00:32:38,824 --> 00:32:42,194 but my brother Kerry was gifted. 701 00:32:42,260 --> 00:32:47,365 In fact, Kerry was offered a full-ride scholarship 702 00:32:47,432 --> 00:32:49,662 at the University of Texas to play football. 703 00:32:50,902 --> 00:32:52,604 And Kerry, I heard him say it. 704 00:32:52,605 --> 00:32:55,005 I was sitting right there, and he said, "I don't want- 705 00:32:55,006 --> 00:32:56,707 I don't really like football, Coach. 706 00:32:56,708 --> 00:32:58,376 I don't think I wanna do that. 707 00:32:58,443 --> 00:32:59,911 I'll-I'll throw the discus." 708 00:32:59,912 --> 00:33:03,113 [Brian Adias] He was number one in the nation, uh, 709 00:33:03,114 --> 00:33:05,517 when we were seniors in the discus. 710 00:33:05,518 --> 00:33:07,418 [Kerry Von Erich] And I'll tell you what, folks. 711 00:33:07,419 --> 00:33:10,588 Every day, my mother was out there- lugging four or five 712 00:33:10,589 --> 00:33:13,425 discuses that weighed four pounds apiece, 713 00:33:13,426 --> 00:33:15,826 throwing them back to me every day, 714 00:33:15,827 --> 00:33:17,461 and if she couldn't throw it that far, 715 00:33:17,462 --> 00:33:18,864 she'd run again that far. 716 00:33:18,930 --> 00:33:21,266 But my mother was there every-every workout. 717 00:33:21,267 --> 00:33:23,701 [Kevin Von Erich] And he wound up throwing the discus, 718 00:33:23,702 --> 00:33:25,770 but for the University of Houston. 719 00:33:25,837 --> 00:33:29,174 [Brian Adias] Tom Tellez was the University of Houston coach. 720 00:33:29,241 --> 00:33:30,875 He was the Olympic coach. 721 00:33:30,876 --> 00:33:33,286 So that's another reason Kerry went to Houston. 722 00:33:33,311 --> 00:33:36,248 He was really wanting to go try out for the 1980 Olympics, 723 00:33:36,314 --> 00:33:38,617 and then they boycotted it. 724 00:33:38,650 --> 00:33:42,987 Kerry said, "I don't wanna wait till 1984." 725 00:33:42,988 --> 00:33:45,557 That's four, five years away, basically, nearly. 726 00:33:45,624 --> 00:33:48,360 And he-he wanted to leave college. 727 00:33:48,361 --> 00:33:52,529 [Cathy Murray] So that's when Kerry came back home, 728 00:33:52,530 --> 00:33:57,469 and I knew Kerry from his younger brother, Mike. 729 00:33:58,370 --> 00:33:59,971 Because Mike and I were in- 730 00:34:00,038 --> 00:34:02,873 in class together since third grade. 731 00:34:02,874 --> 00:34:07,546 And so Mike was the strongest male athlete in school, 732 00:34:07,646 --> 00:34:11,283 and I was the strongest female athlete in school. 733 00:34:11,883 --> 00:34:15,185 So we used to get all the awards together and things like that. 734 00:34:15,186 --> 00:34:17,956 So Mike and I were best friends. 735 00:34:18,023 --> 00:34:22,227 One day, Mike said to Kerry, "Can I have a party?" 736 00:34:22,294 --> 00:34:26,431 and Kerry said, "Only if you invite Cathy Murray." 737 00:34:27,265 --> 00:34:29,968 Kerry and I got to talking, and the rest is history. 738 00:34:30,468 --> 00:34:32,437 We just stayed together after that. 739 00:34:32,504 --> 00:34:37,042 You know, that young love that's so raw and so real, 740 00:34:37,108 --> 00:34:40,145 and you're so young, and it's your first. 741 00:34:40,245 --> 00:34:42,847 And so that was really powerful for me. 742 00:34:44,716 --> 00:34:45,917 Hi, Dad. 743 00:34:45,984 --> 00:34:48,086 [laughing] 744 00:34:48,087 --> 00:34:49,186 [Fritz Von Erich] Hey, Kev. 745 00:34:49,187 --> 00:34:50,755 Get your shot here. 746 00:34:51,323 --> 00:34:53,625 [Jillian Caneda] My dad and my mom. 747 00:34:53,692 --> 00:34:56,361 What a beautiful love story they have. 748 00:34:56,428 --> 00:35:00,432 My mom adores my dad, and my dad loves and treasures my mom. 749 00:35:00,433 --> 00:35:03,434 [Kevin Von Erich] I got married in 1980. 750 00:35:03,435 --> 00:35:05,035 My sweet Pam. 751 00:35:05,036 --> 00:35:06,356 I've been so happy with her. 752 00:35:06,404 --> 00:35:08,273 We've been married 45 years. 753 00:35:09,977 --> 00:35:12,509 [Jillian Caneda] I mean, yes, 754 00:35:12,510 --> 00:35:14,511 it probably was scary to her to see. 755 00:35:14,512 --> 00:35:17,115 This is a semi-famous family. 756 00:35:17,182 --> 00:35:18,949 They're all wrestlers. 757 00:35:18,950 --> 00:35:22,187 But I think when she saw what a beautiful family they were, 758 00:35:22,253 --> 00:35:25,223 behind closed doors, and she wanted to be a part of that, 759 00:35:25,323 --> 00:35:27,224 and they cherished her. 760 00:35:27,225 --> 00:35:29,527 And she said she had always prayed, 761 00:35:29,594 --> 00:35:31,428 "I wanna marry a godly man." 762 00:35:31,429 --> 00:35:33,164 That's who my dad was. 763 00:35:33,165 --> 00:35:35,833 And on the outside, that's not what my dad looked like. 764 00:35:35,834 --> 00:35:39,771 He just looked like this handsome jock, you know? 765 00:35:39,772 --> 00:35:40,871 [crowd cheers] 766 00:35:40,872 --> 00:35:42,673 [Announcer] Here's what they're waiting for. 767 00:35:42,674 --> 00:35:45,075 Kevin Von Erich, David Von Erich. 768 00:35:45,076 --> 00:35:46,844 [David Manning] Kevin and Dave, I mean, 769 00:35:46,845 --> 00:35:48,835 the story was already of the Von Erichs. 770 00:35:48,836 --> 00:35:50,914 They were drawing everywhere they go. 771 00:35:50,915 --> 00:35:53,985 [Announcer] And look at this pandemonium. 772 00:35:53,986 --> 00:35:55,653 [David Manning] But the other thing was, it was- 773 00:35:55,654 --> 00:35:58,023 it was eating on Kerry. 774 00:35:59,257 --> 00:36:02,160 [Cathy Murray] Kerry saw that and was just thinking, 775 00:36:02,227 --> 00:36:03,857 "Wow, this is a really big deal." 776 00:36:03,858 --> 00:36:06,330 [David Manning] Kerry wanted to wrestle, 777 00:36:06,331 --> 00:36:08,232 but Fritz wanted him to finish college. 778 00:36:08,233 --> 00:36:09,434 Kerry was adamant. 779 00:36:09,501 --> 00:36:11,002 He- Matter of fact, 780 00:36:11,069 --> 00:36:13,571 Kerry literally had a meeting with Fritz. 781 00:36:13,638 --> 00:36:15,748 He-he said, "I want a meeting with my dad." 782 00:36:16,074 --> 00:36:18,576 And he told Fritz, "Either I start working here, 783 00:36:18,643 --> 00:36:20,045 or I'll go somewhere else." 784 00:36:20,046 --> 00:36:24,848 [Commentator] You are looking at the spotlight on Kerry Von Erich 785 00:36:24,849 --> 00:36:26,885 as he makes his way to the ring. 786 00:36:26,886 --> 00:36:30,020 [Cathy Murray] After the Olympics, I don't really know 787 00:36:30,021 --> 00:36:32,824 that he ever thought of doing anything else. 788 00:36:32,891 --> 00:36:35,593 [crowd cheers] 789 00:36:35,660 --> 00:36:39,364 [JBL] Kerry just had this innate ability of this charisma. 790 00:36:39,431 --> 00:36:42,561 Some guys just walk into a room and-and have this light come on. 791 00:36:42,562 --> 00:36:45,502 [Commentator] Kerry Von Erich, listen to the crowd. 792 00:36:45,503 --> 00:36:47,639 [crowd chants "Kerry"] 793 00:36:47,640 --> 00:36:48,939 [David Manning] Now you got Kevin, 794 00:36:48,940 --> 00:36:51,776 Dave, and Kerry, so three Von Erichs on the card. 795 00:36:51,843 --> 00:36:54,813 They had the look, they had the feel, and they could work. 796 00:36:54,879 --> 00:36:57,114 Dave was the best worker of all of them. 797 00:36:57,115 --> 00:36:58,782 [Commentator] The headscissors. 798 00:36:58,783 --> 00:37:00,717 [Bill Irwin] Kerry had the good looks and the charisma. 799 00:37:00,718 --> 00:37:02,754 [Commentator] Look at Kerry, up top. 800 00:37:02,821 --> 00:37:06,423 [Bill Irwin] Kevin had kind of a little mix of all of them. 801 00:37:06,424 --> 00:37:08,059 [crowd cheers] 802 00:37:08,159 --> 00:37:10,828 [Undertaker] All these boys who just dominated 803 00:37:10,829 --> 00:37:13,498 every aspect of Texas wrestling. 804 00:37:13,499 --> 00:37:16,600 [Kevin Von Erich] There was a short time when Kerry, me, 805 00:37:16,601 --> 00:37:19,037 and Dave could all be in the same town. 806 00:37:19,038 --> 00:37:21,238 [Commentator] There they are, the Von Erichs. 807 00:37:21,239 --> 00:37:24,042 [Kevin Von Erich] Eventually, after about a year, we- 808 00:37:24,109 --> 00:37:27,412 one town had Kerry, one town had me, one town had Dave. 809 00:37:27,479 --> 00:37:29,514 And the houses were all good, you know, 810 00:37:29,581 --> 00:37:31,116 they were all sellouts. 811 00:37:31,117 --> 00:37:32,349 [Bill Irwin] They were great. 812 00:37:32,350 --> 00:37:33,984 [Commentator] Listen to this crowd roar, 813 00:37:33,985 --> 00:37:35,120 they're on their feet. 814 00:37:35,121 --> 00:37:37,788 [Bill Irwin] It was like a fairy tale for two, three years. 815 00:37:37,789 --> 00:37:39,539 And then it all come crashing down. 816 00:37:40,732 --> 00:37:45,362 [Fritz Von Erich] A good wrestler is one that, uh, 817 00:37:45,363 --> 00:37:47,631 you know, a-a-a natural athlete, first of all. 818 00:37:47,632 --> 00:37:50,367 Like my sons, and it's kids like this that make wrestling 819 00:37:50,368 --> 00:37:51,536 what it is today. 820 00:37:51,537 --> 00:37:54,505 [Commentator] Kerry Von Erich as his brothers David and Kevin 821 00:37:54,506 --> 00:37:59,410 have almost a religious responsibility to learn the art 822 00:37:59,477 --> 00:38:02,881 of wrestling from their father since they were small children. 823 00:38:02,882 --> 00:38:04,314 [Kevin Von Erich] Winning is something our dad instilled in 824 00:38:04,315 --> 00:38:06,918 us a long time ago, and we do it as fairly as we can, 825 00:38:06,985 --> 00:38:08,887 but number one goal is to win. 826 00:38:08,953 --> 00:38:10,288 [Commentator] Two, three. 827 00:38:10,355 --> 00:38:11,523 [bell rings] 828 00:38:11,524 --> 00:38:12,956 [Commentator] Oh what a dazzling show of wrestling ability. 829 00:38:12,957 --> 00:38:16,628 [crowd cheers] 830 00:38:18,663 --> 00:38:21,499 [David Shoemaker] There's a misconception that 831 00:38:21,500 --> 00:38:23,600 Fritz sort of dragged all his sons into the ring, 832 00:38:23,601 --> 00:38:25,170 kicking and screaming, 833 00:38:25,236 --> 00:38:28,106 but I think for Kevin and then David and then Kerry, 834 00:38:28,206 --> 00:38:30,508 it was hard to turn down the allure 835 00:38:30,509 --> 00:38:31,809 of the pro wrestling ring. 836 00:38:31,810 --> 00:38:34,077 And once they got in there and the crowd started reacting 837 00:38:34,078 --> 00:38:35,680 to them, Fritz basically said, 838 00:38:35,747 --> 00:38:38,483 "Well, if they're all in, let's make the most of it." 839 00:38:39,083 --> 00:38:40,618 [La Grange by ZZ Top music] 840 00:38:40,718 --> 00:38:41,985 [crowd cheers] 841 00:38:41,986 --> 00:38:43,388 [Commentator] Fantastic. 842 00:38:43,454 --> 00:38:44,504 What excitement! 843 00:38:44,589 --> 00:38:47,192 There's just nothing like it in the whole world. 844 00:38:47,193 --> 00:38:50,494 [David Shoemaker] They would come out through the crowd 845 00:38:50,495 --> 00:38:53,864 to different songs, like La Grange by ZZ Top. 846 00:38:53,865 --> 00:39:03,808 ? 847 00:39:03,809 --> 00:39:07,511 [Kevin Von Erich] We wanted to put the kind of wrestling out 848 00:39:07,512 --> 00:39:08,846 there that we'd like. 849 00:39:08,847 --> 00:39:09,947 [crowd cheers] 850 00:39:09,948 --> 00:39:11,215 [Commentator] The fans are on their feet. 851 00:39:11,216 --> 00:39:13,717 [Kevin Von Erich] So rock was a big part of our presentation. 852 00:39:13,718 --> 00:39:15,986 [Commentator] Sort of a pied piper of the youth of this area. 853 00:39:15,987 --> 00:39:17,955 [JBL] All of a sudden, you have something 854 00:39:17,956 --> 00:39:20,824 that becomes this rock show, and it was a rock show. 855 00:39:20,825 --> 00:39:23,361 You watch the other matches, they're all good, 856 00:39:23,362 --> 00:39:25,195 but when they came out, that was the show. 857 00:39:25,196 --> 00:39:26,630 [crowd cheers] 858 00:39:26,631 --> 00:39:30,033 [Undertaker] It was just pure energy. 859 00:39:30,034 --> 00:39:31,835 The guys wanted to be like them, 860 00:39:31,836 --> 00:39:33,571 the girls wanted to be with them. 861 00:39:33,638 --> 00:39:34,706 [crowd cheers] 862 00:39:34,707 --> 00:39:36,707 [Commentator] Everyone trying to grab a hold of Kerry, 863 00:39:36,708 --> 00:39:38,509 perhaps, get a kiss. 864 00:39:38,510 --> 00:39:39,776 Boy, she is lucky, isn't she? 865 00:39:39,777 --> 00:39:41,311 [Undertaker] It was just a spectacle any time that they 866 00:39:41,312 --> 00:39:42,714 would come to the ring. 867 00:39:42,715 --> 00:39:44,948 [Fritz Von Erich] Every match that you'll see tonight is not 868 00:39:44,949 --> 00:39:47,986 from a studio, it's from a live arena, one of the oldest, 869 00:39:47,987 --> 00:39:50,153 most well-known arenas, certainly in Texas, 870 00:39:50,154 --> 00:39:51,890 probably in the world itself. 871 00:39:51,956 --> 00:39:53,758 The world-famous Sportatorium. 872 00:39:53,825 --> 00:39:56,661 If it's there, it's the best in professional wrestling. 873 00:39:56,662 --> 00:39:58,161 ["Stone Cold" Steve Austin] The home of the Von Erichs, 874 00:39:58,162 --> 00:39:59,963 Sportatorium, the greatest building in the world. 875 00:39:59,964 --> 00:40:02,200 An atmosphere personified. 876 00:40:02,267 --> 00:40:05,603 [Commentator] This crowd is going wild. 877 00:40:07,071 --> 00:40:10,441 One of the wildest nights in the history of Texas wrestling. 878 00:40:11,075 --> 00:40:14,612 [Mark Henry] I only was able to go once at the Sportatorium. 879 00:40:14,679 --> 00:40:18,750 I bragged to my friends for weeks. 880 00:40:19,384 --> 00:40:22,020 "Bro, I saw the Von Erichs live." 881 00:40:22,021 --> 00:40:23,320 [Commentator] Watch this. 882 00:40:23,321 --> 00:40:26,424 [crowd cheers] 883 00:40:26,425 --> 00:40:28,859 [Bill Irwin] It wasn't your daddy's wrestling anymore. 884 00:40:28,860 --> 00:40:32,664 They changed the-the demographic and I think also the show 885 00:40:32,764 --> 00:40:35,466 on TV was completely different. 886 00:40:35,467 --> 00:40:37,234 [Kerry Von Erich] Hi, I'm Kerry Von Erich, 887 00:40:37,235 --> 00:40:38,970 and this is my dog, Shay. 888 00:40:38,971 --> 00:40:40,837 For several weeks now, we've been telling you about 889 00:40:40,838 --> 00:40:43,307 the changes in the new World Class Wrestling show, 890 00:40:43,308 --> 00:40:46,244 and this is just some of the improvements we've made. 891 00:40:46,245 --> 00:40:49,713 [David Manning] "We wanna to put boom mics in the ring, cameras, 892 00:40:49,714 --> 00:40:52,850 not just by the ring, they climb up on the ring." 893 00:40:52,851 --> 00:40:54,451 [Brian Adias] I'll never forget it. 894 00:40:54,452 --> 00:40:57,922 Fritz sat Kerry and I down in his office, and he said, 895 00:40:57,989 --> 00:41:01,025 "I'm getting ready to do this thing called syndication, 896 00:41:01,026 --> 00:41:02,759 that we're going to go all over the country 897 00:41:02,760 --> 00:41:03,962 and all over the world. 898 00:41:04,495 --> 00:41:05,829 It's cable TV." 899 00:41:05,830 --> 00:41:07,097 And we were like, "What is that?" 900 00:41:07,098 --> 00:41:08,465 [David Manning] You know, when we first started syndication, 901 00:41:08,466 --> 00:41:10,802 we had 10 or 12 markets, then we got 20. 902 00:41:10,868 --> 00:41:12,558 Pretty soon we were in 47 markets. 903 00:41:12,559 --> 00:41:15,072 [Shawn Michaels] When cable started coming around, 904 00:41:15,073 --> 00:41:18,509 we finally got World Class Wrestling out of Dallas, 905 00:41:18,609 --> 00:41:21,212 and that's when I was exposed to the Von Erichs, 906 00:41:21,279 --> 00:41:22,913 and how important, 907 00:41:22,914 --> 00:41:24,964 the Von Erichs were to the state of Texas. 908 00:41:24,965 --> 00:41:27,451 ["Stone Cold" Steve Austin] You know, I would watch KTTV, 909 00:41:27,452 --> 00:41:29,354 Channel 11, in my dorm. 910 00:41:29,454 --> 00:41:31,389 It was absolutely amazing. 911 00:41:31,456 --> 00:41:33,791 [Commentator] Kerry Von Erich wins the bout. 912 00:41:33,792 --> 00:41:34,891 [bell rings] 913 00:41:34,892 --> 00:41:36,560 [David Shoemaker] The rock concert atmosphere, 914 00:41:36,561 --> 00:41:41,165 the Sportatorium craze, the way they looked on TV, uh, 915 00:41:41,232 --> 00:41:44,068 all of this combined to make the Von Erichs, like, 916 00:41:44,168 --> 00:41:46,037 the hottest thing in all of Texas. 917 00:41:47,271 --> 00:41:50,608 [Undertaker] The Von Erichs in Texas was almost religion. 918 00:41:50,675 --> 00:41:52,910 It was a family of superheroes. 919 00:41:52,911 --> 00:41:54,711 [David Manning] Here, obviously, Dallas Cowboys, 920 00:41:54,712 --> 00:41:55,912 how popular they were. 921 00:41:55,913 --> 00:41:57,647 [Presenter] If there's anything a Texan loves more than chili, 922 00:41:57,648 --> 00:42:00,350 it would have to be the sport of football. 923 00:42:00,351 --> 00:42:03,019 [David Manning] If you saw a Dallas Cowboy at the local 924 00:42:03,020 --> 00:42:05,355 sports store, you didn't know who he was, because he didn't 925 00:42:05,356 --> 00:42:07,357 have the helmet and the number on, where with wrestling, 926 00:42:07,358 --> 00:42:09,593 you know, there they were right there in your living room every 927 00:42:09,594 --> 00:42:12,362 Saturday night, doing an interview right in your face. 928 00:42:12,363 --> 00:42:12,863 [crowd cheers] 929 00:42:12,864 --> 00:42:13,597 [laughing] 930 00:42:13,598 --> 00:42:14,464 [Kerry Von Erich] Yeah, baby. 931 00:42:14,465 --> 00:42:15,566 We told you, Bill. 932 00:42:15,567 --> 00:42:17,067 There's something magical when Kevin and I are 933 00:42:17,068 --> 00:42:18,469 in that ring together. 934 00:42:18,470 --> 00:42:20,871 [Timmy Newsome] We would get tickets to go watch 'em wrestle, 935 00:42:20,872 --> 00:42:23,474 and so they were pretty popular in terms of what 936 00:42:23,541 --> 00:42:25,471 we would talk about in the locker room. 937 00:42:25,472 --> 00:42:26,877 [JBL] There was two things 938 00:42:26,878 --> 00:42:27,844 that were big in Texas. 939 00:42:27,845 --> 00:42:28,912 It was football and the Von Erichs. 940 00:42:28,913 --> 00:42:30,180 It wasn't football and wrestling. 941 00:42:30,181 --> 00:42:31,681 It was football and the Von Erichs. 942 00:42:31,682 --> 00:42:33,384 [crowd cheers] 943 00:42:33,385 --> 00:42:35,152 [David Manning] I think what really made the Von Erichs 944 00:42:35,153 --> 00:42:38,823 more popular than a lot of other great babyfaces around 945 00:42:38,923 --> 00:42:42,960 the country was, you saw 'em grow up, and everybody felt 946 00:42:42,961 --> 00:42:45,162 like, almost like they're part of the life, they're part of 947 00:42:45,163 --> 00:42:47,031 what's happening to them. 948 00:42:47,032 --> 00:42:49,466 [David Von Erich] They've really come behind us, and we're like 949 00:42:49,467 --> 00:42:51,635 their kids, and they're like our parents, and all the young kids 950 00:42:51,636 --> 00:42:53,036 around and everything else. 951 00:42:53,037 --> 00:42:54,905 They're really nice to us here, so we love it. 952 00:42:54,906 --> 00:42:56,374 [JBL] They're part of us. 953 00:42:56,441 --> 00:42:58,576 We took an ownership of the Von Erich boys. 954 00:42:58,643 --> 00:43:00,513 These were salt-of-the-earth guys. 955 00:43:00,514 --> 00:43:02,579 [Commentator] Tell us a little bit about Kevin. 956 00:43:02,580 --> 00:43:04,514 [Kevin Von Erich] I've been getting into some cliff diving. 957 00:43:04,515 --> 00:43:06,817 I've- I did- I went cliff diving out in Acapulco 958 00:43:06,818 --> 00:43:08,486 a couple of weeks ago, and, uh- 959 00:43:08,487 --> 00:43:09,786 [Kerry Von Erich] I like to write poems. 960 00:43:09,787 --> 00:43:11,122 I like to ride horses. 961 00:43:11,123 --> 00:43:14,157 I like to, uh- I like to fish, and Kevin and I have just gotten 962 00:43:14,158 --> 00:43:16,828 into a little bit of, uh, skydiving. 963 00:43:16,894 --> 00:43:19,244 We've been doing that for about two months now. 964 00:43:19,245 --> 00:43:20,730 [Kevin Von Erich] We weren't big shots. 965 00:43:20,731 --> 00:43:23,568 We acted like we were your big brother, your son, 966 00:43:23,634 --> 00:43:26,436 your grandson, your uncle, your cousin. 967 00:43:26,437 --> 00:43:30,575 Von Erich was the name Dad gave me, and I'm proud to have it. 968 00:43:30,641 --> 00:43:35,111 It was so important to be a good role model, be respectful. 969 00:43:35,112 --> 00:43:36,914 My dad was like that. 970 00:43:36,915 --> 00:43:40,150 [Bill Irwin] I didn't think any of 'em were presumptuous about 971 00:43:40,151 --> 00:43:43,888 who they were or ever even said, "Hey, do you know who I am?" 972 00:43:43,955 --> 00:43:45,156 Or, "Hey, I'm this. 973 00:43:45,157 --> 00:43:46,189 I'm that." 974 00:43:46,190 --> 00:43:47,224 No. 975 00:43:47,225 --> 00:43:48,091 No. 976 00:43:48,092 --> 00:43:49,659 I think that's Fritz teaching them, 977 00:43:49,660 --> 00:43:52,063 "Hey, you're somebody, but you're nobody. 978 00:43:52,163 --> 00:43:54,232 The people make you who you are." 979 00:43:54,233 --> 00:43:56,233 [Kerry Von Erich] With my brothers and I, 980 00:43:56,234 --> 00:43:58,836 if we lose a fight, the people are right there, 981 00:43:58,837 --> 00:44:00,871 they're cheering for us just as loud as if we lose 982 00:44:00,872 --> 00:44:03,207 because they want us to know 983 00:44:03,274 --> 00:44:05,024 that they're behind us all the way. 984 00:44:05,025 --> 00:44:08,445 [Kevin Von Erich] It was just a great life, you know. 985 00:44:08,446 --> 00:44:09,614 ?? 986 00:44:09,615 --> 00:44:11,915 [Kevin Von Erich] I can remember the three of us just 987 00:44:11,916 --> 00:44:14,384 being young and getting in the car and head up to Oklahoma 988 00:44:14,385 --> 00:44:17,955 for spot shows or down to the middle of Texas for spot shows, 989 00:44:17,956 --> 00:44:20,023 and when we were kids, everything was fun. 990 00:44:20,024 --> 00:44:21,284 Everybody was our friend. 991 00:44:22,460 --> 00:44:23,794 The police all knew us. 992 00:44:23,861 --> 00:44:25,001 We all liked each other. 993 00:44:25,002 --> 00:44:28,632 It just kind of spoils you 'cause you can get in your car, 994 00:44:28,633 --> 00:44:31,368 all you've gotta do is take your boots and your trunks and 995 00:44:31,369 --> 00:44:33,271 go to another town and make a living 996 00:44:33,371 --> 00:44:34,805 [laughing] 997 00:44:34,872 --> 00:44:36,641 and swim in the rivers all the way- 998 00:44:36,707 --> 00:44:37,909 [laughing] 999 00:44:38,009 --> 00:44:41,078 all the way back and just laugh the whole time. 1000 00:44:41,646 --> 00:44:42,880 Man, that was fun. 1001 00:44:43,981 --> 00:44:45,121 Just me and my brothers. 1002 00:44:45,750 --> 00:44:46,851 [crowd cheers] 1003 00:44:46,918 --> 00:44:48,085 ? 1004 00:44:48,086 --> 00:44:49,252 [Commentator] The greatest name in professional wrestling 1005 00:44:49,253 --> 00:44:51,187 today, the Von Erichs, have been for years. 1006 00:44:51,188 --> 00:44:53,323 [Presenter] Today, the allegiance of a lot of wrestling 1007 00:44:53,324 --> 00:44:55,960 fans belongs to the Von Erichs, to father, Fritz, 1008 00:44:56,027 --> 00:44:58,162 and his three wrestling sons. 1009 00:44:58,229 --> 00:45:00,639 And there are still two more Von Erichs waiting 1010 00:45:00,665 --> 00:45:03,568 to jump into the ring, Mike and Chris. 1011 00:45:03,569 --> 00:45:07,203 Right now, the Von Erichs are a prime attraction, 1012 00:45:07,204 --> 00:45:10,374 a guaranteed draw at dozens of wrestling arenas, 1013 00:45:10,375 --> 00:45:14,110 but as successful as they are, they've never forgotten that 1014 00:45:14,111 --> 00:45:15,671 the most important ingredient 1015 00:45:15,713 --> 00:45:18,482 in any family business is the family. 1016 00:45:18,483 --> 00:45:20,617 [Michael Hayes] You talk about Fritz, 1017 00:45:20,618 --> 00:45:22,385 family man, businessman. 1018 00:45:22,386 --> 00:45:24,956 His business is his family. 1019 00:45:25,022 --> 00:45:26,832 They're your meal ticket right now. 1020 00:45:26,833 --> 00:45:29,993 [Commentator] A dramatic arrival of the Von Erichs as hundreds 1021 00:45:29,994 --> 00:45:32,863 of youngsters come to the ring seeking autographs, 1022 00:45:32,964 --> 00:45:34,398 their pictures. 1023 00:45:34,399 --> 00:45:36,433 [David Shoemaker] But there's this just constant demand. 1024 00:45:36,434 --> 00:45:40,036 The feeling that, like, "If we let anything slip, 1025 00:45:40,037 --> 00:45:41,805 then this could all come crashing down." 1026 00:45:41,806 --> 00:45:44,396 It was just a ton of pressure on them to keep it going. 1027 00:45:46,765 --> 00:45:51,548 [Kevin Von Erich] We would have a weekly family reunion in 1028 00:45:51,549 --> 00:45:53,684 there, you know, on Friday nights. 1029 00:45:53,685 --> 00:45:56,386 [Commentator] Good evening, and welcome to the world-famous 1030 00:45:56,387 --> 00:46:01,092 Sportatorium, the home of World Class Championship Wrestling. 1031 00:46:01,093 --> 00:46:02,592 [Kevin Von Erich] I'd come down right here. 1032 00:46:02,593 --> 00:46:05,963 Always be people here, you know, and hanging their arms out. 1033 00:46:06,030 --> 00:46:08,866 And I've got scars all over my shoulder from the girls 1034 00:46:08,933 --> 00:46:10,201 scratching like this. 1035 00:46:10,268 --> 00:46:11,936 You should see my shoulders. 1036 00:46:11,937 --> 00:46:13,069 [Commentator] Kevin Von Erich. 1037 00:46:13,070 --> 00:46:14,390 What a beautiful specimen. 1038 00:46:14,391 --> 00:46:17,340 [Kevin Von Erich] Oh, I grew up in here, you know. 1039 00:46:17,341 --> 00:46:18,441 It's like my little playground. 1040 00:46:18,442 --> 00:46:19,342 [crowd cheers] 1041 00:46:19,343 --> 00:46:21,412 [Commentator] Oh, off the rope. 1042 00:46:23,848 --> 00:46:26,317 [Kevin Von Erich] Yeah, had some good memories. 1043 00:46:27,685 --> 00:46:29,120 It's where it all started. 1044 00:46:29,121 --> 00:46:31,955 [David Shoemaker] Kevin was a- He was an entertainer, 1045 00:46:31,956 --> 00:46:34,157 but as a person, he was a pretty simple guy, you know. 1046 00:46:34,158 --> 00:46:37,395 Like, he just wanted to have that sort of isolation, 1047 00:46:37,396 --> 00:46:39,462 that sort of getting away from everything else. 1048 00:46:39,463 --> 00:46:40,531 ? 1049 00:46:40,532 --> 00:46:41,831 [Commentator] You're working nearly every night. 1050 00:46:41,832 --> 00:46:45,369 This must-must be a great way to just to take some edge off. 1051 00:46:45,370 --> 00:46:47,170 [Kevin Von Erich] Oh, man, you're right, Bill. 1052 00:46:47,171 --> 00:46:49,039 I'd-I'd probably crack up if I didn't have 1053 00:46:49,040 --> 00:46:50,608 the country to come out to. 1054 00:46:50,675 --> 00:46:52,910 I don't get off on disco dancing. 1055 00:46:52,911 --> 00:46:54,411 And, uh, this is really where I'm at. 1056 00:46:54,412 --> 00:46:55,912 This is where my head is. 1057 00:46:55,913 --> 00:46:57,580 [Commentator] Hey, wait for your daughter to get old enough 1058 00:46:57,581 --> 00:46:59,116 to come out here. 1059 00:46:59,117 --> 00:47:00,150 [Kevin Von Erich] We'll have to see about that. 1060 00:47:00,151 --> 00:47:01,352 [laughing] 1061 00:47:01,353 --> 00:47:04,187 [Kevin Von Erich] Once I had my first baby, uh, 1062 00:47:04,188 --> 00:47:08,592 once Pam had Kristen, well, my priorities changed, 1063 00:47:08,659 --> 00:47:10,394 and wrestling became work. 1064 00:47:10,395 --> 00:47:14,698 [Michael Hayes] I don't think wrestling was the number one 1065 00:47:14,699 --> 00:47:16,834 priority for Kevin anymore. 1066 00:47:16,835 --> 00:47:18,668 He's obligated to do the wrestling. 1067 00:47:18,669 --> 00:47:20,671 He wanted to do the family thing. 1068 00:47:20,672 --> 00:47:22,706 [Bill Colville] He would show up at the matches, 1069 00:47:22,707 --> 00:47:24,208 he would leave immediately. 1070 00:47:24,209 --> 00:47:26,810 You know, he didn't hang around and go home and be dad. 1071 00:47:26,811 --> 00:47:30,147 [Kevin Von Erich] And then also my life went from loving my dog 1072 00:47:30,247 --> 00:47:35,052 and my .22 to that baby, and Pam, my queen, 1073 00:47:35,119 --> 00:47:36,420 that gave me that baby. 1074 00:47:36,520 --> 00:47:39,356 I had somebody to protect. 1075 00:47:40,157 --> 00:47:42,626 [Fritz Von Erich] Kristen, come here. 1076 00:47:43,060 --> 00:47:44,562 Come on, you pretty girl. 1077 00:47:45,696 --> 00:47:48,899 [Kevin Von Erich] My father, big, mean, tough Fritz, 1078 00:47:48,999 --> 00:47:51,535 he loved being a grandfather. 1079 00:47:51,602 --> 00:47:54,538 Kristen and him were like that. 1080 00:47:54,539 --> 00:47:56,740 [Fritz Von Erich] Come here, Kristen. 1081 00:47:56,741 --> 00:47:59,510 Yeah, good girl. 1082 00:48:00,244 --> 00:48:04,415 [Kristen Nikolas] My granddad was one of the best men 1083 00:48:04,482 --> 00:48:06,684 that I've ever met. 1084 00:48:06,685 --> 00:48:08,818 [Fritz Von Erich] Hi baby girl. 1085 00:48:08,819 --> 00:48:14,625 [Kristen Nikolas] He was just the epitome of safety for us. 1086 00:48:14,626 --> 00:48:16,092 [Fritz Von Erich] Now that's what I call 1087 00:48:16,093 --> 00:48:18,729 pretty, pretty, pretty. 1088 00:48:18,796 --> 00:48:21,865 Now, Meme, let's have one of your pretty face. 1089 00:48:21,866 --> 00:48:26,404 [Kristen Nikolas] Meme was also so loving, and my grandparents 1090 00:48:26,470 --> 00:48:29,673 did a really good job of making us feel like we were 1091 00:48:29,740 --> 00:48:33,677 all a community, and we had each other. 1092 00:48:33,678 --> 00:48:35,311 [Fritz Von Erich] Look at me, Kristen. 1093 00:48:35,312 --> 00:48:36,579 [Kristen Nikolas] I love you, granddaddy. 1094 00:48:36,580 --> 00:48:38,381 [Fritz Von Erich] Oh, you're so cute. 1095 00:48:38,382 --> 00:48:40,617 [Kristen Nikolas] The first time I realized that there 1096 00:48:40,618 --> 00:48:42,986 was something maybe different about our family, 1097 00:48:42,987 --> 00:48:46,157 we were gonna have a Six Flags Day as a family. 1098 00:48:46,223 --> 00:48:47,291 ? 1099 00:48:47,292 --> 00:48:49,225 [Kristen Nikolas] And when we arrived at the park, 1100 00:48:49,226 --> 00:48:52,028 there were police everywhere, and they put us right on a golf 1101 00:48:52,029 --> 00:48:55,866 cart, and we had a couple of hours of the park exclusively, 1102 00:48:55,933 --> 00:48:59,403 but they opened the gate, and I just have this image in my mind 1103 00:48:59,470 --> 00:49:02,306 of- I was sitting on the back of this golf cart, and these 1104 00:49:02,406 --> 00:49:06,476 people chasing us and screaming, and this one lady had mascara 1105 00:49:06,477 --> 00:49:10,414 running down her face, and I remember thinking, you know, 1106 00:49:10,415 --> 00:49:12,682 "They're not chasing anybody else, and don't they know how 1107 00:49:12,683 --> 00:49:16,420 boring my dad is, and how boring my uncles are?" 1108 00:49:16,520 --> 00:49:19,123 Like, "Why do they think it's so cool?" 1109 00:49:19,190 --> 00:49:22,626 [David Manning] You never realized what kind of rock stars 1110 00:49:22,693 --> 00:49:25,262 these kids-these kids had become. 1111 00:49:25,362 --> 00:49:26,864 [crowd cheers] 1112 00:49:26,865 --> 00:49:27,864 [Commentator] And here they come, 1113 00:49:27,865 --> 00:49:31,068 the trio of wrestling personified. 1114 00:49:31,069 --> 00:49:32,902 [JBL] Everybody wanted to see The Von Erichs, 1115 00:49:32,903 --> 00:49:34,972 but they needed a nemesis, you know, 1116 00:49:35,039 --> 00:49:36,599 and when the Freebirds came in, 1117 00:49:36,640 --> 00:49:39,076 that's when wrestling just blew up. 1118 00:49:39,143 --> 00:49:42,312 [Commentator] Michael Hayes, and Terry Gordy, 1119 00:49:42,313 --> 00:49:43,414 Buddy Roberts. 1120 00:49:43,480 --> 00:49:45,115 The Freebirds. 1121 00:49:45,116 --> 00:49:46,983 [JBL] You finally had somebody that could 1122 00:49:46,984 --> 00:49:49,752 go against the Von Erich boys, and that was the perfect 1123 00:49:49,753 --> 00:49:51,288 antithesis in the Freebirds. 1124 00:49:51,289 --> 00:49:53,790 [Michael Hayes] Hey, man, we're running these Von Erichs 1125 00:49:53,791 --> 00:49:54,824 out of Texas. 1126 00:49:54,825 --> 00:49:58,963 When it comes to notorious, bad mother [bleep] 1127 00:49:59,029 --> 00:50:02,866 that you love to hate, that'd be us. 1128 00:50:02,867 --> 00:50:03,917 [crowd cheers] 1129 00:50:03,918 --> 00:50:05,568 [Michael Hayes] If we gotta run over The Von Erichs, 1130 00:50:05,569 --> 00:50:08,037 we'll do it with pleasure. 1131 00:50:08,038 --> 00:50:09,573 [Undertaker] Oh, my goodness. 1132 00:50:09,640 --> 00:50:13,010 Well, the Freebirds were just so easy to hate. 1133 00:50:13,011 --> 00:50:15,278 [JBL] The Freebirds brought their own flags 1134 00:50:15,279 --> 00:50:18,282 from Georgia into Texas, which is something you don't do. 1135 00:50:18,283 --> 00:50:20,617 [Michael Hayes] It kind of became like a college football 1136 00:50:20,618 --> 00:50:22,185 rivalry in a sense. 1137 00:50:22,186 --> 00:50:24,221 Georgia versus Texas. 1138 00:50:24,222 --> 00:50:26,623 [Kevin Von Erich] This war is not between Texas and Georgia. 1139 00:50:26,624 --> 00:50:28,826 It's between decency and filth. 1140 00:50:28,893 --> 00:50:31,427 [crowd cheers] 1141 00:50:31,428 --> 00:50:32,562 [JBL] It was like setting a 1142 00:50:32,563 --> 00:50:34,732 nuclear bomb off in the state of Texas. 1143 00:50:34,798 --> 00:50:36,967 I'd-I'd never seen anything like it. 1144 00:50:36,968 --> 00:50:38,902 [Mike Von Erich] We gotta say thanks to the people of Dallas, 1145 00:50:38,903 --> 00:50:40,603 Texas, 'cause it's the biggest crowd ever to be 1146 00:50:40,604 --> 00:50:42,106 in the Sportatorium. 1147 00:50:42,107 --> 00:50:44,741 [David Manning] Shows that used to, on a Saturday night, do 500 1148 00:50:44,742 --> 00:50:48,479 people, all of a sudden, we were doing 8,000, 1149 00:50:48,546 --> 00:50:50,347 just packed to the walls. 1150 00:50:50,348 --> 00:50:53,149 [Commentator] And so this one is gonna start in a hurry. 1151 00:50:53,150 --> 00:50:56,020 [Michael Hayes] The rivalry worked, I think, 1152 00:50:56,120 --> 00:50:58,689 because when we would get in that ring, 1153 00:50:58,756 --> 00:51:02,226 you could tell that these guys really don't like each other. 1154 00:51:02,227 --> 00:51:04,360 [Commentator] It may take everybody in the arena to 1155 00:51:04,361 --> 00:51:06,263 separate these two. 1156 00:51:06,363 --> 00:51:09,166 [Michael Hayes] But there was a respect between us 1157 00:51:09,233 --> 00:51:10,801 that really made it work, too. 1158 00:51:10,868 --> 00:51:12,736 You're gonna get knocked flat out 1159 00:51:12,737 --> 00:51:13,970 in front of the whole world. 1160 00:51:13,971 --> 00:51:15,471 [Michael Hayes] You're supposed to make them mad, 1161 00:51:15,472 --> 00:51:17,107 that's your job. 1162 00:51:17,207 --> 00:51:19,109 And, of course, the fans ate it up. 1163 00:51:19,110 --> 00:51:21,044 [Commentator] The whole family sticks together. 1164 00:51:21,045 --> 00:51:23,414 That's been their motto and their creed. 1165 00:51:23,415 --> 00:51:25,682 [David Manning] For two hours or three hours, 1166 00:51:25,683 --> 00:51:26,950 they got to cheer for the good. 1167 00:51:26,951 --> 00:51:28,851 [Kevin Von Erich] It's not just our win, it's all of our win. 1168 00:51:28,852 --> 00:51:31,889 [David Manning] And boo the evil. 1169 00:51:31,890 --> 00:51:33,189 And, uh, that's what wrestling is. 1170 00:51:33,190 --> 00:51:34,624 [Fan 1] I get so wrapped up in it. 1171 00:51:34,625 --> 00:51:35,558 I mean, I just love it. 1172 00:51:35,559 --> 00:51:36,593 [laughing] 1173 00:51:36,594 --> 00:51:37,644 I really do. 1174 00:51:37,645 --> 00:51:38,895 [Fan 2] This is one of the few places where you come 1175 00:51:38,896 --> 00:51:40,563 and holler and scream, and they don't take you to jail. 1176 00:51:40,564 --> 00:51:42,298 ["Stone Cold" Steve Austin] Me and my buddies would ride down 1177 00:51:42,299 --> 00:51:43,333 there every Friday night. 1178 00:51:43,334 --> 00:51:44,634 I was there watching The Von Erichs 1179 00:51:44,635 --> 00:51:46,036 and The Freebirds go at it. 1180 00:51:46,037 --> 00:51:47,670 [crowd chants "Go home, Freebirds"] 1181 00:51:47,671 --> 00:51:49,439 [Kevin Von Erich] You could see those TV ratings shooting up, 1182 00:51:49,440 --> 00:51:51,674 and all we had to do was keep doing what we're doing, just 1183 00:51:51,675 --> 00:51:55,079 make it a little more dangerous, and a little more reckless. 1184 00:51:55,080 --> 00:51:57,880 [Commentator] This looks like it's gonna be a wild slugfest. 1185 00:51:57,881 --> 00:52:00,250 Whoa, and over. 1186 00:52:00,251 --> 00:52:02,051 [JBL] When you watch those guys, yeah, 1187 00:52:02,052 --> 00:52:03,920 they're beating the [bleep] out of each other. 1188 00:52:03,921 --> 00:52:06,389 I mean, this is incredible, and that's what Texans love 1189 00:52:06,390 --> 00:52:07,590 so much about it. 1190 00:52:07,591 --> 00:52:08,792 People love to fight. 1191 00:52:08,793 --> 00:52:11,361 [Kevin Von Erich] I never wanted to be a fake. 1192 00:52:11,362 --> 00:52:13,597 I really enjoyed what I did. 1193 00:52:13,664 --> 00:52:15,666 I loved it, and I felt real doing it. 1194 00:52:15,733 --> 00:52:17,935 I gave people real entertainment, 1195 00:52:18,002 --> 00:52:19,870 so did my brothers. 1196 00:52:19,871 --> 00:52:23,673 [Michael Hayes] I mean, they were really into it and really, 1197 00:52:23,674 --> 00:52:27,511 really believed that what we were doing was real. 1198 00:52:28,145 --> 00:52:30,948 [Commentator] Kevin Von Erich is now covered in blood. 1199 00:52:30,949 --> 00:52:32,782 [Michael Hayes] A lot of times after the matches, 1200 00:52:32,783 --> 00:52:35,986 I felt like it was real, because it hurt. 1201 00:52:35,987 --> 00:52:38,421 [Commentator] And the Freebird is a loose bird as he goes 1202 00:52:38,422 --> 00:52:40,958 to the floor and says, "Man alive, what hit me?" 1203 00:52:43,116 --> 00:52:45,495 [Commentator] And a criss-cross. 1204 00:52:45,496 --> 00:52:47,731 Whoa, man, oh. 1205 00:52:47,798 --> 00:52:49,266 And look at that thrust kick. 1206 00:52:49,267 --> 00:52:51,434 [Kevin Von Erich] When you're young, 1207 00:52:51,435 --> 00:52:52,568 you feel like you're bulletproof. 1208 00:52:52,569 --> 00:52:54,338 Nothing can hurt you. 1209 00:52:55,072 --> 00:52:58,876 [Commentator] And now, Kevin Von Erich struggling. 1210 00:52:59,710 --> 00:53:02,360 [Kevin Von Erich] You can break a bone and keep going. 1211 00:53:02,361 --> 00:53:04,047 [Fritz Von Erich] My boy's got a broken nose. 1212 00:53:04,048 --> 00:53:05,715 He's got about a dozen sutures in his lip. 1213 00:53:05,716 --> 00:53:06,749 [Kevin Von Erich] Hey. 1214 00:53:06,750 --> 00:53:07,717 That's- When you're right, you win every time. 1215 00:53:07,718 --> 00:53:08,751 This doesn't hurt a bit. 1216 00:53:08,752 --> 00:53:10,186 There's plenty more where- 1217 00:53:10,187 --> 00:53:12,355 [Michael Hayes] You were pretty much always playing with pain. 1218 00:53:12,356 --> 00:53:15,559 You had to wrestle, or you didn't get paid. 1219 00:53:15,560 --> 00:53:17,226 [Kevin Von Erich] My nose has been broken dozens of times. 1220 00:53:17,227 --> 00:53:18,395 I've got broken ribs. 1221 00:53:18,462 --> 00:53:20,630 My elbows have been both dislocated. 1222 00:53:20,631 --> 00:53:21,681 My shoulder. 1223 00:53:21,698 --> 00:53:23,266 My knee operations. 1224 00:53:23,267 --> 00:53:25,736 A tooth knocked out from Michael Hayes' boot. 1225 00:53:25,803 --> 00:53:29,973 We used to take injections, xylocaine, Marcaine, procaine, 1226 00:53:30,040 --> 00:53:32,076 but they're not drugs. 1227 00:53:32,142 --> 00:53:34,978 They just numb nerve endings. 1228 00:53:35,045 --> 00:53:37,681 And I didn't want to live like that anymore, 1229 00:53:39,316 --> 00:53:44,722 and so to deal with that pain, I grew my own marijuana. 1230 00:53:44,723 --> 00:53:47,990 Look what sprouted up here in the carpet. 1231 00:53:47,991 --> 00:53:49,793 [laughing] 1232 00:53:49,794 --> 00:53:50,893 [Kevin Von Erich] I don't want to be a proponent 1233 00:53:50,894 --> 00:53:52,395 for such a thing, but I have to say 1234 00:53:52,396 --> 00:53:55,399 that I took a healthier approach by growing it myself. 1235 00:53:55,400 --> 00:53:58,067 Hey man, when are we going to smoke one again? 1236 00:53:58,068 --> 00:54:00,070 [Pam Adkisson] Kevin. 1237 00:54:00,071 --> 00:54:01,904 [Kevin Von Erich] If God makes it, if it's a vegetable, 1238 00:54:01,905 --> 00:54:04,908 if it grows on a tree or in the ground, I want it, 1239 00:54:05,008 --> 00:54:07,276 but I don't want anything made by man. 1240 00:54:07,277 --> 00:54:08,879 [crowd cheers] 1241 00:54:08,880 --> 00:54:10,279 [Commentator] And here comes 1242 00:54:10,280 --> 00:54:13,517 "The Modern Day Warrior" Kerry Von Erich. 1243 00:54:13,584 --> 00:54:17,287 [Cathy Murray] For Kerry, the business was becoming very 1244 00:54:17,354 --> 00:54:23,393 taxing on the body in general with the amount of time in the 1245 00:54:23,460 --> 00:54:27,631 gym, and pumping iron, and then just getting hurt in the ring. 1246 00:54:27,698 --> 00:54:30,768 [Commentator] Oh, Kerry is pretty well shaken. 1247 00:54:30,769 --> 00:54:33,436 [Cathy Murray] When you're getting hurt all the time, 1248 00:54:33,437 --> 00:54:38,875 and you start asking for prescription drugs, right, and 1249 00:54:38,876 --> 00:54:44,148 then how much is enough, and do I need something even harder, 1250 00:54:44,248 --> 00:54:47,351 stronger to relieve this pain? 1251 00:54:48,986 --> 00:54:51,156 You know, you can just get caught up in that. 1252 00:54:51,157 --> 00:54:55,324 And there were these doctors, because of who they are, they're 1253 00:54:55,325 --> 00:55:00,597 famous, who would just write a prescription and, "Here you go." 1254 00:55:00,598 --> 00:55:03,065 [Michael Hayes] And then you take it and you go, 1255 00:55:03,066 --> 00:55:04,700 "Well, it does help me feel better. 1256 00:55:04,701 --> 00:55:06,571 Well, the doctor just prescribed it. 1257 00:55:06,603 --> 00:55:08,472 It's legal." 1258 00:55:08,572 --> 00:55:10,802 And I think a lot of people got fooled by that. 1259 00:55:11,808 --> 00:55:15,245 [Cathy Murray] Kerry felt a big responsibility to the business. 1260 00:55:15,312 --> 00:55:17,514 He took care of his fans. 1261 00:55:17,515 --> 00:55:20,750 [Kerry Von Erich] It's tough, but we know it's a job, it's a 1262 00:55:20,751 --> 00:55:24,488 responsibility that we have to do, and my father bred us to-to 1263 00:55:24,555 --> 00:55:28,191 be winners, not losers, and to fight 100% every night whenever 1264 00:55:28,192 --> 00:55:30,327 we were in that ring. 1265 00:55:30,828 --> 00:55:35,065 [Cathy Murray] So Kerry fought between his health and keeping 1266 00:55:35,165 --> 00:55:41,572 up with the image that was so important to The Von Erichs. 1267 00:55:58,388 --> 00:55:59,489 ? 1268 00:55:59,490 --> 00:56:00,756 [Kevin Von Erich] Dave was the only one of all of us 1269 00:56:00,757 --> 00:56:05,929 that liked strong liquor, had a bottle of it in his bag. 1270 00:56:07,030 --> 00:56:11,835 And then he told us he had a really bad stomachache and booze 1271 00:56:11,902 --> 00:56:14,137 was helping him. 1272 00:56:14,138 --> 00:56:16,172 Stomach pain must have been something else. 1273 00:56:16,173 --> 00:56:18,909 I mean, he said it was like a knife. 1274 00:56:19,009 --> 00:56:21,278 He had diarrhea for months. 1275 00:56:22,946 --> 00:56:24,914 At the time, Dave was married to Trish. 1276 00:56:24,915 --> 00:56:28,151 I know she did think he had a virus or something because he, 1277 00:56:28,218 --> 00:56:32,022 you know, had some symptoms, but he didn't want her to worry, 1278 00:56:32,122 --> 00:56:34,352 you know, so he wouldn't have said anything. 1279 00:56:36,760 --> 00:56:40,998 So, Kerry and I made sure he went to the doctor about it. 1280 00:56:41,064 --> 00:56:42,832 A proctologist, I guess it was. 1281 00:56:42,833 --> 00:56:47,237 They told Dave to lean against this little wall thing. 1282 00:56:47,238 --> 00:56:49,872 They put his elbows down and strapped him in, strapped his 1283 00:56:49,873 --> 00:56:55,879 elbow here and his knees, and, uh, Dave got mad easy. 1284 00:56:55,946 --> 00:57:00,149 The doc hit a switch and Dave was butt up. 1285 00:57:00,150 --> 00:57:02,552 He was furious. 1286 00:57:02,619 --> 00:57:05,389 He said, "Absolutely not. 1287 00:57:05,455 --> 00:57:07,390 I'll tear this place down." 1288 00:57:07,391 --> 00:57:09,381 And he had to unstrap Dave and let him go. 1289 00:57:09,426 --> 00:57:14,364 But if they would have done the examination, 1290 00:57:14,431 --> 00:57:16,481 I think they would have found something. 1291 00:57:19,503 --> 00:57:22,513 [David Shoemaker] It's around '83 that David first starts 1292 00:57:22,514 --> 00:57:23,906 complaining of stomach pain. 1293 00:57:23,907 --> 00:57:26,642 And also, I think, you know, you've taken a lot of hard bumps 1294 00:57:26,643 --> 00:57:29,780 in the ring, and especially coming up in the Adkisson 1295 00:57:29,846 --> 00:57:33,283 household, you- maybe you're just taught to rub some dirt 1296 00:57:33,350 --> 00:57:34,918 on it, you know. 1297 00:57:34,985 --> 00:57:37,287 Because he wasn't being treated for it, 1298 00:57:37,354 --> 00:57:39,164 he started turning to painkillers. 1299 00:57:41,124 --> 00:57:45,762 [Brian Adias] One time he'd showed up on, uh, uh, 1300 00:57:45,829 --> 00:57:47,798 Quaaludes, you know. 1301 00:57:47,799 --> 00:57:50,700 You know, when you can't talk, and you're slurring your words, 1302 00:57:50,701 --> 00:57:52,511 that's-that's when it becomes bad. 1303 00:57:52,512 --> 00:57:54,971 [Bill Irwin] I've seen him where he's a puddle in the middle 1304 00:57:54,972 --> 00:57:57,708 of the floor, and he's supposed to be going to the ring. 1305 00:57:57,808 --> 00:58:01,078 Ah, you know, so you've got to try and get him up 1306 00:58:01,144 --> 00:58:02,194 and get him going. 1307 00:58:03,914 --> 00:58:07,044 [David Manning] Before long, he almost couldn't overcome it. 1308 00:58:08,552 --> 00:58:11,622 Looking at today's world, I'd say Dave had an opioid problem. 1309 00:58:11,722 --> 00:58:13,156 He was addicted to pills. 1310 00:58:13,157 --> 00:58:15,257 [Brian Adias] And boy, I know Fritz was- 1311 00:58:15,258 --> 00:58:16,793 was just irate about it. 1312 00:58:16,794 --> 00:58:18,794 [Fritz Von Erich] You're doing your fans a disservice any time 1313 00:58:18,795 --> 00:58:21,565 you get out of line, because you are an image to them 1314 00:58:21,631 --> 00:58:23,500 that they want to live up to. 1315 00:58:23,501 --> 00:58:26,202 And so many pro athletes, uh, and-and you know what I'm 1316 00:58:26,203 --> 00:58:29,072 talking about, man, they have no use for their fans. 1317 00:58:29,172 --> 00:58:30,873 The fans is what made 'em. 1318 00:58:30,874 --> 00:58:32,875 It's what made us. 1319 00:58:32,876 --> 00:58:36,213 And, uh, we need to always be aware of the responsibility 1320 00:58:36,279 --> 00:58:37,748 that goes with that. 1321 00:58:37,749 --> 00:58:40,916 [Kristen Nikolas] Image was really important to granddad, 1322 00:58:40,917 --> 00:58:48,959 but Meme was, I think, more concerned about family image 1323 00:58:49,026 --> 00:58:53,463 and reputation than granddad was. 1324 00:58:54,965 --> 00:59:00,137 She wanted to have a perfect family that didn't fail. 1325 00:59:00,203 --> 00:59:03,507 And Meme was really concerned about media. 1326 00:59:03,607 --> 00:59:08,478 Granddad maybe was to a point that it affected the business. 1327 00:59:08,479 --> 00:59:11,514 [Brian Adias] Fritz always said, "It's one thing what a man does 1328 00:59:11,515 --> 00:59:13,984 on his own time, but when you're on my time, 1329 00:59:14,084 --> 00:59:15,585 you need to be in top shape." 1330 00:59:15,586 --> 00:59:19,321 [David Manning] They're under pressure. 1331 00:59:19,322 --> 00:59:22,159 They were pretty much on call 24 hours a day, 1332 00:59:22,225 --> 00:59:24,795 dealing with the public, dealing with the news. 1333 00:59:24,796 --> 00:59:27,029 [News Journalist] Several thousand waiting in line 1334 00:59:27,030 --> 00:59:30,367 for hours to see the famous wrestling Von Erichs. 1335 00:59:30,368 --> 00:59:33,102 [David Manning] It was fun, though. 1336 00:59:33,103 --> 00:59:37,074 Everywhere you went, you were treated like you were royalty. 1337 00:59:37,075 --> 00:59:39,909 [Kevin Von Erich] We'd get endorsements through wrestling, 1338 00:59:39,910 --> 00:59:42,913 and so we'd get free cars from these dealerships. 1339 00:59:42,914 --> 00:59:45,681 [Cathy Murray] They were top stars, 1340 00:59:45,682 --> 00:59:48,452 and Mike and Chris always looked up to them. 1341 00:59:49,119 --> 00:59:51,589 And they were like, "If they can do it, I can do it." 1342 00:59:51,590 --> 00:59:54,623 [David Manning] Mike and Chris were super close. 1343 00:59:54,624 --> 00:59:56,325 They came to the matches every week. 1344 00:59:56,326 --> 00:59:57,760 [Cathy Murray] Right after high school, 1345 00:59:57,761 --> 01:00:00,664 Mike wanted to be a part of what his brothers were doing. 1346 01:00:00,665 --> 01:00:02,631 [Commentator] I've seen the debut of all these guys, uh, 1347 01:00:02,632 --> 01:00:06,203 Kevin, David, Kerry, and now a debut in just a few minutes 1348 01:00:06,269 --> 01:00:08,171 of Mike Von Erich. 1349 01:00:08,872 --> 01:00:12,075 [David Manning] For Mike, it was hard not being a Von Erich, 1350 01:00:12,142 --> 01:00:13,192 you know? 1351 01:00:13,193 --> 01:00:14,510 If he was anywhere with the brothers, 1352 01:00:14,511 --> 01:00:16,621 he was treated as if he was in the business. 1353 01:00:16,646 --> 01:00:18,415 And it was contagious. 1354 01:00:18,416 --> 01:00:20,783 [Kevin Von Erich] Little Mike, I say, is a big old stud, 1355 01:00:20,784 --> 01:00:22,151 but tonight I think he's going to show his colors. 1356 01:00:22,152 --> 01:00:23,786 He's a Von Erich right down to the wire. 1357 01:00:23,787 --> 01:00:27,224 Mike wanted to wrestle so bad, he wanted to be like Dave. 1358 01:00:27,225 --> 01:00:28,591 [David Von Erich] Mike's been taught by the best, 1359 01:00:28,592 --> 01:00:30,426 because we were taught by the best. 1360 01:00:30,427 --> 01:00:31,994 [Kerry Von Erich] You lock your leg in here, Kev. 1361 01:00:31,995 --> 01:00:33,229 [Kevin Von Erich] Oh, just step- Yeah. 1362 01:00:33,230 --> 01:00:34,230 [Kerry Von Erich] Yeah. 1363 01:00:34,231 --> 01:00:35,464 [Kevin Von Erich] Oh, that's an excellent- 1364 01:00:35,465 --> 01:00:36,398 [Kerry Von Erich] And roll forward right here. 1365 01:00:36,399 --> 01:00:37,467 And now I got his leg. 1366 01:00:37,567 --> 01:00:39,269 Oh, he ain't going nowhere. 1367 01:00:39,270 --> 01:00:42,104 [Commentator] And here he comes, Mike Von Erich. 1368 01:00:42,105 --> 01:00:44,808 [crowd cheers] 1369 01:00:44,809 --> 01:00:46,442 [Commentator] He has not only his own career 1370 01:00:46,443 --> 01:00:50,447 to think about, but, of course, he's upholding the honor 1371 01:00:50,514 --> 01:00:52,114 of the Von Erich families. 1372 01:00:52,115 --> 01:00:53,749 [Cathy Murray] Part of it, for him, 1373 01:00:53,750 --> 01:00:55,417 was just being with his brothers. 1374 01:00:55,418 --> 01:00:57,186 Like, "Okay, they're not going out on the road and 1375 01:00:57,187 --> 01:00:58,355 leaving me anymore. 1376 01:00:58,421 --> 01:00:59,623 I get to come along. 1377 01:00:59,624 --> 01:01:01,590 I'm the baby brother, and we're going to have a good time 1378 01:01:01,591 --> 01:01:03,560 together," you know, and they did. 1379 01:01:03,561 --> 01:01:05,161 [Kevin Von Erich] You know, a lot of people think 1380 01:01:05,162 --> 01:01:06,428 the Von Erichs have bit off more than we can chew. 1381 01:01:06,429 --> 01:01:07,496 They think that Mike's too young to be getting 1382 01:01:07,497 --> 01:01:08,430 in the ring with us. 1383 01:01:08,431 --> 01:01:10,032 This kid is not going to let me down. 1384 01:01:10,033 --> 01:01:11,367 We're going to take those Freebirds- 1385 01:01:11,368 --> 01:01:13,436 [Commentator] Oh, look at that move. 1386 01:01:13,437 --> 01:01:15,471 [Michael Hayes] At this point, the Von Erichs 1387 01:01:15,472 --> 01:01:19,109 and the Freebirds, our story was so hot- 1388 01:01:19,209 --> 01:01:22,445 [Commentator] Gordy wrapped up, one, two, three. 1389 01:01:22,512 --> 01:01:24,414 [crowd cheers] 1390 01:01:24,415 --> 01:01:27,516 [Michael Hayes] -that it was time to take it to 1391 01:01:27,517 --> 01:01:29,953 the stadium, which was unheard of back then. 1392 01:01:29,954 --> 01:01:33,789 [David Manning] We were doing the Six-Man Tag Team 1393 01:01:33,790 --> 01:01:36,258 Championship, which at that time would have now been Kevin, 1394 01:01:36,259 --> 01:01:40,764 Kerry, and Mike against the Birds. 1395 01:01:40,765 --> 01:01:42,598 [Kevin Von Erich] Now, if the Freebirds think they can beat 1396 01:01:42,599 --> 01:01:44,500 us, go ahead and come on with it all you got. 1397 01:01:44,501 --> 01:01:46,235 [David Manning] And then the main event was going to be Flair 1398 01:01:46,236 --> 01:01:51,641 versus David for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. 1399 01:01:51,642 --> 01:01:54,276 [Michael Hayes] "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair, arguably, 1400 01:01:54,277 --> 01:01:56,680 the greatest wrestler of all time. 1401 01:01:56,746 --> 01:01:59,616 [Ric Flair] I thrive, woo, I thrive on being 1402 01:01:59,683 --> 01:02:01,318 called the greatest. 1403 01:02:01,319 --> 01:02:03,419 [Michael Hayes] But it was already decided. 1404 01:02:03,420 --> 01:02:06,089 It was very hush-hush that David was going to beat 1405 01:02:06,156 --> 01:02:07,624 Ric Flair for the title. 1406 01:02:07,952 --> 01:02:13,562 [David Manning] And then about five weeks before the show, 1407 01:02:13,563 --> 01:02:16,399 Dave goes to Japan to work over there. 1408 01:02:16,400 --> 01:02:21,070 [Kevin Von Erich] For months before the Japan trip, 1409 01:02:21,071 --> 01:02:23,173 he didn't look right to me. 1410 01:02:25,275 --> 01:02:27,777 But it was the stomach, you know? 1411 01:02:28,678 --> 01:02:31,914 Dave had that ashen look about him, you know? 1412 01:02:31,915 --> 01:02:34,050 White look. 1413 01:02:34,117 --> 01:02:35,986 His eyebrows would get white, 1414 01:02:39,322 --> 01:02:42,626 and so I already had an idea something bad was gonna happen. 1415 01:02:46,696 --> 01:02:53,036 [engine noise] 1416 01:02:53,037 --> 01:02:54,703 [Fritz Von Erich] This is December 24th, uh, 1417 01:02:54,704 --> 01:02:57,240 Christmas Eve, 1983. 1418 01:02:59,829 --> 01:03:03,145 [Kevin Von Erich] It was so cold that day. 1419 01:03:03,146 --> 01:03:04,546 Remember the pond froze over? 1420 01:03:04,547 --> 01:03:05,597 Wow. 1421 01:03:05,649 --> 01:03:07,517 That never happens. 1422 01:03:07,930 --> 01:03:11,787 [Kerry Von Erich] I laid some bets on it. 1423 01:03:11,788 --> 01:03:12,588 [Kevin Von Erich] There's Cathy. 1424 01:03:12,589 --> 01:03:13,522 [Kristen Rain] And Uncle Chris. 1425 01:03:13,523 --> 01:03:15,143 [Kevin Von Erich] There's Chris. 1426 01:03:15,144 --> 01:03:17,760 [Chris Von Erich] Dad, thanks for the stereo, Dad. 1427 01:03:17,761 --> 01:03:18,494 [Fritz Von Erich] Oh, yeah, babe. 1428 01:03:18,495 --> 01:03:19,561 [David Von Erich] Wow. 1429 01:03:19,562 --> 01:03:20,930 Thanks. 1430 01:03:20,931 --> 01:03:21,797 [Fritz Von Erich] Oh, you're good. 1431 01:03:21,798 --> 01:03:22,665 [Kristen Rain] Granddaddy, quick. 1432 01:03:22,666 --> 01:03:23,967 There's Uncle Mike and me. 1433 01:03:23,968 --> 01:03:25,167 [Kevin Von Erich] Oh, Mike. 1434 01:03:25,168 --> 01:03:26,536 You gotta spur him. 1435 01:03:26,603 --> 01:03:28,637 All the kids love Mike, don't they? 1436 01:03:28,638 --> 01:03:29,672 [Speaker] Pull his reins. 1437 01:03:29,673 --> 01:03:32,575 [Speaker] Kick him in the shins. 1438 01:03:32,576 --> 01:03:33,475 [Speaker] Pull his reins. 1439 01:03:33,476 --> 01:03:34,109 Pull hard. 1440 01:03:34,110 --> 01:03:35,178 [Mike Von Erich] Ow. 1441 01:03:35,245 --> 01:03:36,680 [laughing] 1442 01:03:36,681 --> 01:03:38,947 [Kevin Von Erich] Dear Heavenly Father, 1443 01:03:38,948 --> 01:03:41,251 thank you for everything you've given us. 1444 01:03:41,252 --> 01:03:43,485 All the family being together, the brothers. 1445 01:03:43,486 --> 01:03:44,987 It's great, Lord. 1446 01:03:44,988 --> 01:03:47,490 Thank you for everything you've given us. 1447 01:03:47,557 --> 01:03:52,128 After that Christmas, our life would not be the same. 1448 01:03:55,231 --> 01:03:59,736 For months before the Japan trip, Dave was white as a ghost. 1449 01:04:00,270 --> 01:04:03,073 He, uh- He didn't look right to me. 1450 01:04:03,074 --> 01:04:06,909 [David Manning] I was with him when he wrestled in Austin, 1451 01:04:06,910 --> 01:04:08,844 Texas, and after the matches, he was throwing up. 1452 01:04:08,845 --> 01:04:10,847 He was sick. 1453 01:04:10,914 --> 01:04:13,950 And he kept saying, "Oh, it's just some virus I got." 1454 01:04:13,951 --> 01:04:16,552 [Michael Hayes] And everybody just thought he had the flu, 1455 01:04:16,553 --> 01:04:17,753 you know? 1456 01:04:17,754 --> 01:04:21,691 It was- it was dead of winter, you know, early February. 1457 01:04:21,692 --> 01:04:24,126 [Fritz Von Erich] We knew David was sick, 1458 01:04:24,127 --> 01:04:25,795 but they had no idea how sick. 1459 01:04:25,796 --> 01:04:27,496 The boy's been raised to be there. 1460 01:04:27,497 --> 01:04:29,231 Thousands of people had paid their money 1461 01:04:29,232 --> 01:04:30,833 to see those boys' wrestle. 1462 01:04:30,834 --> 01:04:33,737 Short of a broken leg partner, we expect them to be there. 1463 01:04:33,738 --> 01:04:35,437 [Kevin Von Erich] And he looked pale, 1464 01:04:35,438 --> 01:04:36,638 and I could just tell on my mom's face 1465 01:04:36,639 --> 01:04:37,959 she was worried about Dave. 1466 01:04:37,974 --> 01:04:39,109 They were talking. 1467 01:04:39,110 --> 01:04:41,944 And I looked at him, I thought, "If I lost him," you know, 1468 01:04:41,945 --> 01:04:43,695 I just put my hands on him and said, 1469 01:04:43,696 --> 01:04:45,247 "Don't you go over there and die, Dave." 1470 01:04:45,248 --> 01:04:46,515 And he said, "I won't, Kev." 1471 01:04:46,516 --> 01:04:47,566 [Pam Adkisson] Yeah. 1472 01:04:47,567 --> 01:04:48,717 [Kevin Von Erich] And I thought- 1473 01:04:48,718 --> 01:04:49,768 I kissed him. 1474 01:04:49,819 --> 01:04:50,953 Now I had uh- 1475 01:04:50,954 --> 01:04:51,987 [Kristen Nikolas] Yeah. 1476 01:04:51,988 --> 01:04:53,156 It can't happen now. 1477 01:05:01,450 --> 01:05:04,166 [Bill Irwin] When you go to Japan, 1478 01:05:04,167 --> 01:05:06,002 it's always pretty much the same. 1479 01:05:07,837 --> 01:05:11,241 We would eat, and we'd have- drink beers and have fun. 1480 01:05:11,307 --> 01:05:13,057 And, you know, it was- It was great. 1481 01:05:13,058 --> 01:05:16,078 [Kevin Von Erich] I talked to Bill Irwin about it. 1482 01:05:16,079 --> 01:05:18,148 He said they got to the- to Tokyo, 1483 01:05:18,248 --> 01:05:21,484 and they went about six o'clock and had a big steak. 1484 01:05:21,551 --> 01:05:24,654 And Dave wanted two steaks, and Bill said he couldn't even 1485 01:05:24,721 --> 01:05:27,624 finish his, because Dave ate a lot of it. 1486 01:05:28,191 --> 01:05:30,827 But then, Dave ordered a third steak and ate it. 1487 01:05:30,927 --> 01:05:33,797 [Bill Irwin] We get out of there and go back to the hotel, 1488 01:05:33,798 --> 01:05:36,031 and we go into the hotel, and we're going in. 1489 01:05:36,032 --> 01:05:37,634 Of course, the bar's still open. 1490 01:05:37,700 --> 01:05:40,270 Well, shhh, you know, we've got to go in there. 1491 01:05:40,370 --> 01:05:42,480 And David said, "Hey, I'll be right back." 1492 01:05:44,440 --> 01:05:48,178 I think he left and went upstairs and puked. 1493 01:05:48,179 --> 01:05:49,445 And then he came back down. 1494 01:05:49,446 --> 01:05:51,280 Everybody that's there, including myself, 1495 01:05:51,281 --> 01:05:55,051 we were kind of full, but he ate. 1496 01:05:55,118 --> 01:05:56,319 And he ate some more. 1497 01:05:57,187 --> 01:06:01,190 David and I were in that- in that bar last, and David goes, 1498 01:06:01,191 --> 01:06:02,425 "Well, come by the room. 1499 01:06:02,426 --> 01:06:04,827 Come on by, you know, we'll have a drink or whatever. 1500 01:06:04,828 --> 01:06:05,878 The last one." 1501 01:06:05,962 --> 01:06:07,029 Went on into his room. 1502 01:06:07,030 --> 01:06:08,264 Went in and sat down. 1503 01:06:08,364 --> 01:06:10,967 I think we had a beer or something right there. 1504 01:06:11,034 --> 01:06:13,635 And, you know, after the beer, it was- 1505 01:06:13,636 --> 01:06:15,205 it was the end of the night. 1506 01:06:15,638 --> 01:06:18,274 He goes, "Yeah, I-I'm just going to call my wife." 1507 01:06:18,341 --> 01:06:20,643 "Okay, see you tomorrow." 1508 01:06:23,253 --> 01:06:27,683 Well, tomorrow comes, and everybody's on the bus 1509 01:06:27,684 --> 01:06:28,852 at five o'clock. 1510 01:06:28,918 --> 01:06:30,752 Like, "What the hell?" 1511 01:06:30,753 --> 01:06:32,622 You know, "Where's David?" 1512 01:06:33,823 --> 01:06:35,693 And in the distance, you hear sirens. 1513 01:06:37,260 --> 01:06:39,596 Everybody's looking at each other. 1514 01:06:40,230 --> 01:06:43,632 Everybody up, we all went off the bus, right into the hotel, 1515 01:06:43,633 --> 01:06:45,802 up the stairs, right to the corner room, 1516 01:06:46,569 --> 01:06:49,806 and they were there with a key and unlocked his door. 1517 01:06:50,874 --> 01:06:54,644 And there was David in the same spot I left him. 1518 01:06:54,711 --> 01:06:59,949 Just laid back, still dressed, in the same clothes, everything. 1519 01:07:02,352 --> 01:07:04,787 [sighs] 1520 01:07:07,190 --> 01:07:10,727 [Kevin Von Erich] To this day, I cannot stand a phone call 1521 01:07:10,793 --> 01:07:16,332 before daylight, because that's what I got that morning 1522 01:07:16,399 --> 01:07:18,167 that Trish called me. 1523 01:07:20,436 --> 01:07:25,874 And when that phone rang, it was dark, and I picked up the phone, 1524 01:07:25,875 --> 01:07:26,976 and she was crying. 1525 01:07:27,043 --> 01:07:28,511 I knew. 1526 01:07:28,611 --> 01:07:30,179 And she said, "He's dead, Kev." 1527 01:07:30,246 --> 01:07:34,117 I just said, "I have to go." 1528 01:07:34,183 --> 01:07:35,885 I hung the phone up. 1529 01:07:37,720 --> 01:07:42,592 I went outside, and, uh, I was just crushed, you know? 1530 01:07:43,593 --> 01:07:46,428 I couldn't stand up, and I just laid down on the forest 1531 01:07:46,429 --> 01:07:50,466 and I pushed the leaves back and put my face in that black dirt. 1532 01:07:50,566 --> 01:07:53,770 I prayed to God, "Let me die." 1533 01:08:01,277 --> 01:08:04,280 Seeing my dad, and knowing that he'd lost his son, 1534 01:08:04,347 --> 01:08:09,452 he'd lost Dave, oh, my gosh, that was- 1535 01:08:09,519 --> 01:08:10,729 that was the worst part. 1536 01:08:11,721 --> 01:08:13,156 [sighs] 1537 01:08:13,222 --> 01:08:17,026 It was as bad as grief can get. 1538 01:08:18,487 --> 01:08:22,464 [David Manning] Fritz had already said, 1539 01:08:22,465 --> 01:08:24,633 "Whatever that autopsy says we got to go with because 1540 01:08:24,634 --> 01:08:27,404 the public's probably going to get it sooner or later." 1541 01:08:27,405 --> 01:08:29,871 [Bill Irwin] And everybody thought David died 1542 01:08:29,872 --> 01:08:32,675 of an overdose, but he didn't. 1543 01:08:32,676 --> 01:08:34,309 [David Manning] I heard all the stories around 1544 01:08:34,310 --> 01:08:38,714 the industry that, "It was pills, it was this." 1545 01:08:38,715 --> 01:08:40,716 I'm not saying there wasn't any pills involved because, 1546 01:08:40,717 --> 01:08:43,252 undoubtedly, he was in excruciating pain. 1547 01:08:44,420 --> 01:08:46,789 And, uh, but did he do enough to OD? 1548 01:08:46,856 --> 01:08:48,358 No. 1549 01:08:49,058 --> 01:08:52,428 The autopsy said, "Acute enteritis. 1550 01:08:52,495 --> 01:08:54,330 Heart failure". 1551 01:08:54,331 --> 01:08:56,031 So, basic what they were saying was, 1552 01:08:56,032 --> 01:08:59,335 because of the acute enteritis, his intestines ruptured, 1553 01:08:59,402 --> 01:09:03,973 he filled up with blood, and it caused heart failure. 1554 01:09:06,242 --> 01:09:14,116 [church bell rings] 1555 01:09:14,117 --> 01:09:16,084 [News Reporter 1] Some say that David Von Erich's death 1556 01:09:16,085 --> 01:09:18,587 hit Dallas, Fort Worth, like Elvis Presley's 1557 01:09:18,588 --> 01:09:19,989 death hit the nation. 1558 01:09:20,723 --> 01:09:23,826 David Von Erich died Friday of enteritis. 1559 01:09:23,926 --> 01:09:25,261 He was 25 years old. 1560 01:09:27,397 --> 01:09:31,401 [David Manning] I mean, at the funeral that we're expecting 500 1561 01:09:31,467 --> 01:09:34,771 to 800 people, and we end up with almost 10,000. 1562 01:09:34,772 --> 01:09:38,073 [News Reporter 1] Fans from the area and foes 1563 01:09:38,074 --> 01:09:39,909 from the ring turned out. 1564 01:09:40,009 --> 01:09:43,513 The 1800-seat church was soon filled to capacity, and hundreds 1565 01:09:43,613 --> 01:09:47,350 stood outside hoping to catch a few strains of the service 1566 01:09:47,450 --> 01:09:49,552 from the loudspeaker system. 1567 01:09:49,619 --> 01:09:51,587 It was a quiet but unhappy group. 1568 01:09:52,822 --> 01:09:56,192 [Kevin Von Erich] It hit everyone like a ton of bricks. 1569 01:09:56,826 --> 01:09:58,661 The schools let out. 1570 01:09:58,761 --> 01:10:01,964 [Fan] I love and care for David, and I wanted to be here. 1571 01:10:01,965 --> 01:10:04,433 [News Reporter 2] The funeral procession stretched five miles 1572 01:10:04,434 --> 01:10:05,835 across the Lone Star State. 1573 01:10:06,469 --> 01:10:08,738 It was a hero's send-off. 1574 01:10:08,739 --> 01:10:10,439 [David Manning] They shut down the highway all the way 1575 01:10:10,440 --> 01:10:14,177 from Denton to Oak Grove Cemetery in Oak Cliff. 1576 01:10:14,178 --> 01:10:16,011 Things all of a sudden then there was like, 1577 01:10:16,012 --> 01:10:17,572 "This is like a president died." 1578 01:10:17,573 --> 01:10:21,183 [News Reporter 1] More fans waited at the cemetery 1579 01:10:21,184 --> 01:10:24,320 for the procession of 150 cars to arrive. 1580 01:10:25,722 --> 01:10:29,892 [Kevin Von Erich] I don't think that we realized how much 1581 01:10:29,959 --> 01:10:31,961 we were loved until we saw that. 1582 01:10:31,962 --> 01:10:35,597 [Fritz Von Erich] We're just overwhelmed today. 1583 01:10:35,598 --> 01:10:39,001 All of these people showing up for the last appearance 1584 01:10:39,002 --> 01:10:40,569 that David's ever going to make. 1585 01:10:40,570 --> 01:10:42,904 [Kerry Von Erich] Our bodies may be left here on Earth, 1586 01:10:42,905 --> 01:10:44,640 but our souls go to heaven. 1587 01:10:44,707 --> 01:10:46,637 It's made us accept death a lot easier. 1588 01:10:46,638 --> 01:10:49,444 Hey, we know our brother David's in a lot better place than 1589 01:10:49,445 --> 01:10:50,813 we are right now. 1590 01:10:52,115 --> 01:10:55,318 [Cathy Murray] The loss of a brother was devastating for him. 1591 01:10:56,319 --> 01:10:58,588 He said, "You know, I think I should just go 1592 01:10:58,654 --> 01:11:01,224 and be with David." 1593 01:11:01,991 --> 01:11:06,062 There was always this thing with the brothers that, maybe not so 1594 01:11:06,063 --> 01:11:09,231 much Kevin, because Kevin was the oldest trying to protect his 1595 01:11:09,232 --> 01:11:13,436 brothers, but beyond that, they always wanted to be together. 1596 01:11:16,172 --> 01:11:21,811 [Kristen Nikolas] After losing Uncle Dave, Meme was just filled 1597 01:11:21,878 --> 01:11:28,050 with so much pain, but she wanted to have a great image. 1598 01:11:28,051 --> 01:11:30,418 [Doris Von Erich] You say, "God help me through this." 1599 01:11:30,419 --> 01:11:32,829 You get off your duff and you start moving again. 1600 01:11:33,790 --> 01:11:37,894 You start laughing again, and you refuse to stay down. 1601 01:11:37,895 --> 01:11:40,795 [Kevin Von Erich] You don't get over it, 1602 01:11:40,796 --> 01:11:42,296 but we do have to keep fighting. 1603 01:11:42,297 --> 01:11:45,133 We have to make it for the weak ones, for our children, 1604 01:11:45,134 --> 01:11:47,537 for our women, for those that love us, 1605 01:11:47,603 --> 01:11:49,533 and those that are hurting, you know? 1606 01:11:51,621 --> 01:11:55,677 [Kevin Von Erich] You know, like Kerry and I were talking 1607 01:11:55,678 --> 01:11:57,479 about earlier today, 1608 01:11:57,480 --> 01:11:59,481 Dave wanted that world championship more than anything 1609 01:11:59,482 --> 01:12:05,254 in the world, and that world championship is going to be 1610 01:12:05,321 --> 01:12:06,822 around a Von Erich waist. 1611 01:12:06,923 --> 01:12:08,024 It has to be. 1612 01:12:08,558 --> 01:12:10,293 Not only for our family, for Dave. 1613 01:12:11,761 --> 01:12:14,111 [David Shoemaker] When David Von Erich died, 1614 01:12:14,997 --> 01:12:18,800 Fritz already has this giant stadium show booked at- 1615 01:12:18,801 --> 01:12:21,604 at Cowboy Stadium, and they have to go through with it. 1616 01:12:22,071 --> 01:12:27,910 And now, as much as they might have wanted to just mourn him, 1617 01:12:28,010 --> 01:12:29,880 they have to keep the business going. 1618 01:12:29,912 --> 01:12:33,715 [Kevin Von Erich] My dad was a businessman. 1619 01:12:33,716 --> 01:12:36,085 It's a family business. 1620 01:12:36,152 --> 01:12:37,253 "This is what I do. 1621 01:12:37,320 --> 01:12:38,721 This is my job." 1622 01:12:38,722 --> 01:12:41,356 [David Manning] I'll never forget after Dave died, there 1623 01:12:41,357 --> 01:12:44,192 was talk about, "Well, we can't put the belt on the other two 1624 01:12:44,193 --> 01:12:47,262 boys at that point," and Fritz was like, "It's not an option." 1625 01:12:47,263 --> 01:12:49,397 [Fritz Von Erich] It's a question now of which of you two 1626 01:12:49,398 --> 01:12:51,634 is going to be the next world champion. 1627 01:12:51,635 --> 01:12:54,669 So, when you take that title, there's no question in anybody's 1628 01:12:54,670 --> 01:12:57,239 mind in the world that you are the best that there is, 1629 01:12:57,240 --> 01:12:58,840 the best there ever was. 1630 01:12:58,841 --> 01:12:59,921 All in David's memory. 1631 01:12:59,922 --> 01:13:03,612 [Kevin Von Erich] And so Kerry and I have like a coin flip with 1632 01:13:03,613 --> 01:13:10,752 my dad, but, um,truth of it was, that I was married and I 1633 01:13:10,753 --> 01:13:13,388 did not want to travel like the world champion has to travel. 1634 01:13:13,389 --> 01:13:15,491 It's all over the place. 1635 01:13:15,558 --> 01:13:17,627 I had my children. 1636 01:13:17,727 --> 01:13:21,664 I didn't want to be the world champion, and, uh, Kerry did. 1637 01:13:21,665 --> 01:13:25,066 And so as far as the coin flip's concerned, 1638 01:13:25,067 --> 01:13:27,036 it was more like, "You win." 1639 01:13:27,631 --> 01:13:32,641 [Commentator] There are no seatbelts on the chairs here at 1640 01:13:32,642 --> 01:13:35,044 Texas Stadium, but we almost need them. 1641 01:13:35,045 --> 01:13:36,478 [Undertaker] My goodness. 1642 01:13:36,479 --> 01:13:38,614 I mean, what an atmosphere. 1643 01:13:38,948 --> 01:13:45,154 What a huge match feeling, and Kerry had the weight of the 1644 01:13:45,221 --> 01:13:46,322 state on his back. 1645 01:13:46,323 --> 01:13:49,958 [Commentator] From Denton, Texas, weighing 259 pounds, 1646 01:13:49,959 --> 01:13:51,961 Mr. Kerry Von Erich. 1647 01:13:51,962 --> 01:13:54,896 [Kerry Von Erich] You know, when I talk about the butterflies 1648 01:13:54,897 --> 01:13:56,898 or something like this, it's almost impossible 1649 01:13:56,899 --> 01:13:59,000 to describe in words the way I felt, 1650 01:13:59,001 --> 01:14:01,651 but it was like all of Texas Stadium was electrified. 1651 01:14:01,652 --> 01:14:04,472 [Undertaker] That title shot was supposed to be David's. 1652 01:14:04,473 --> 01:14:06,842 David passes away in Japan. 1653 01:14:07,743 --> 01:14:11,480 Now, his brother comes and steps in, and who does he have to- 1654 01:14:11,547 --> 01:14:15,318 I mean, Ric Flair, prime Ric Flair. 1655 01:14:15,885 --> 01:14:17,752 [Ric Flair] Texas Stadium sold out. 1656 01:14:17,753 --> 01:14:21,022 [Commentator] The largest crowd ever to see wrestling anywhere 1657 01:14:21,023 --> 01:14:23,960 in the world is on hand here at Texas Stadium. 1658 01:14:24,026 --> 01:14:25,494 A history-making event. 1659 01:14:25,495 --> 01:14:28,029 [Ric Flair] Kerry Von Erich in the- 1660 01:14:28,030 --> 01:14:31,200 in the state of Texas, phew. 1661 01:14:31,201 --> 01:14:33,468 [Cathy Murray] I was pregnant with Hollie, 1662 01:14:33,469 --> 01:14:37,406 and it was a great day for all of us. 1663 01:14:37,407 --> 01:14:40,108 [Commentator] Kerry Von Erich, probably, 1664 01:14:40,109 --> 01:14:42,459 the most beautiful ring jacket I've ever seen. 1665 01:14:42,511 --> 01:14:45,781 [Cathy Murray] He wanted to-to make his dad proud. 1666 01:14:45,848 --> 01:14:48,184 And-and all the fans too, right? 1667 01:14:48,284 --> 01:14:51,520 To make sure that that Von Erich image was, you know, upheld. 1668 01:14:52,755 --> 01:14:54,015 [Commentator] This is it. 1669 01:14:54,023 --> 01:14:55,224 Here we go. 1670 01:14:55,225 --> 01:14:57,459 [Mark Henry] Watching that one- 1671 01:14:57,460 --> 01:14:59,427 [Commentator] Flair can't find the handle. 1672 01:14:59,428 --> 01:15:02,164 [Mark Henry] -at my Papa Jody's house- 1673 01:15:02,231 --> 01:15:04,400 [Commentator] Kerry is rolling now. 1674 01:15:04,467 --> 01:15:07,937 [Mark Henry] -it was like watching a Mike Tyson fight. 1675 01:15:08,046 --> 01:15:10,638 [Commentator] Back to his feet. 1676 01:15:10,639 --> 01:15:11,959 There's the drive by Kerry. 1677 01:15:13,709 --> 01:15:16,245 [Mark Henry] And everybody had to go to the fight. 1678 01:15:17,480 --> 01:15:18,914 [Commentator] Powerslam. 1679 01:15:19,682 --> 01:15:22,152 [David Manning] You got 40,000 grieving people. 1680 01:15:24,520 --> 01:15:25,654 We had to have the pop. 1681 01:15:27,189 --> 01:15:29,692 [Commentator] And it's the Iron Claw. 1682 01:15:30,945 --> 01:15:32,994 Kerry's got him. 1683 01:15:32,995 --> 01:15:34,130 Here's the Nelson pin. 1684 01:15:34,196 --> 01:15:35,865 Two, three. 1685 01:15:35,965 --> 01:15:37,433 Do dream's come true? 1686 01:15:37,500 --> 01:15:38,600 [bell rings] 1687 01:15:38,601 --> 01:15:40,002 [Commentator] Yes- 1688 01:15:41,255 --> 01:15:43,071 -it's happened. 1689 01:15:43,072 --> 01:15:51,580 [crowd cheers] 1690 01:15:51,581 --> 01:15:52,881 [Undertaker] Man, it gives you kinda- 1691 01:15:52,882 --> 01:15:54,616 it gives you goosebumps thinking about it, 1692 01:15:54,617 --> 01:15:57,887 how special that was for Kerry to-to win the title. 1693 01:15:57,953 --> 01:16:00,189 [Commentator] Kerry Von Erich is the new 1694 01:16:00,256 --> 01:16:01,891 World Heavyweight Champion. 1695 01:16:02,625 --> 01:16:05,995 [JBL] To have our guy, Kerry Von Erich, you know, 1696 01:16:05,996 --> 01:16:08,563 that iconic stadium with the hole in the roof so God can 1697 01:16:08,564 --> 01:16:11,467 watch his team, it was a day of celebration in the state. 1698 01:16:11,567 --> 01:16:15,437 [Commentator] Oh, the Texas flag, the big yellow rose, 1699 01:16:15,438 --> 01:16:16,772 and the heavyweight belt. 1700 01:16:16,773 --> 01:16:20,075 [Shawn Michaels] Winning the ultimate prize in dedication 1701 01:16:20,076 --> 01:16:21,636 to your brother who passed away. 1702 01:16:22,678 --> 01:16:25,047 Kerry Von Erich was a God in the state of Texas. 1703 01:16:25,048 --> 01:16:27,348 [Commentator] Fritz there to greet Kerry. 1704 01:16:27,349 --> 01:16:30,286 There's Mrs. Von Erich, Kerry's mother. 1705 01:16:30,287 --> 01:16:33,188 [Kerry Von Erich] You know, today the world belongs 1706 01:16:33,189 --> 01:16:35,523 to Texas, because if it wasn't for the Texas people, 1707 01:16:35,524 --> 01:16:36,791 we wouldn't have nothing. 1708 01:16:36,792 --> 01:16:39,394 And you know what else, my brother David, tonight, 1709 01:16:39,395 --> 01:16:40,829 he had the best seat in the house, 1710 01:16:40,830 --> 01:16:42,430 right upstairs looking down. 1711 01:16:42,431 --> 01:16:45,600 And-and just God bless him, man, because he saw everything I did. 1712 01:16:45,601 --> 01:16:46,836 We're just so happy. 1713 01:16:47,603 --> 01:16:50,433 [Cathy Murray] It was just one of the greatest moments, 1714 01:16:50,439 --> 01:16:52,808 I think, in his history of wrestling. 1715 01:16:53,950 --> 01:16:59,214 [David Manning] Then Kerry had to take on the responsibility 1716 01:16:59,215 --> 01:17:01,450 of being a champion, and it's not fun. 1717 01:17:01,451 --> 01:17:04,686 [Commentator] Here now comes World Heavyweight Champion, 1718 01:17:04,687 --> 01:17:06,589 Kerry Von Erich. 1719 01:17:07,189 --> 01:17:10,192 [David Manning] That's a 360-day deal. 1720 01:17:10,259 --> 01:17:16,132 He goes from, "David's dead," you're the main event, promos, 1721 01:17:16,198 --> 01:17:19,635 promos, promos. 1722 01:17:19,735 --> 01:17:22,385 And you can't just say, "Oh, we're taking a week off." 1723 01:17:23,672 --> 01:17:28,611 [Cathy Murray] So, between that and losing his brother, David, 1724 01:17:28,677 --> 01:17:32,181 that's when I started seeing a little bit more of the drugs 1725 01:17:32,248 --> 01:17:33,716 starting to come in. 1726 01:17:33,717 --> 01:17:36,684 [Kerry Von Erich] Oh, Bill, so much going on inside my head. 1727 01:17:36,685 --> 01:17:38,654 I feel like I'm ready now. 1728 01:17:38,721 --> 01:17:40,556 I believe with all my heart I can- 1729 01:17:40,557 --> 01:17:43,191 [Cathy Murray] I think before David's death, 1730 01:17:43,192 --> 01:17:45,027 the drugs were under control, 1731 01:17:45,127 --> 01:17:48,364 where it wasn't causing any problems for him. 1732 01:17:48,430 --> 01:17:51,680 And then after David's death, it just became more of a necessity. 1733 01:17:51,681 --> 01:17:55,036 [Commentator] Kerry Von Erich, the new 1734 01:17:55,037 --> 01:17:56,404 World Heavyweight Champion. 1735 01:17:56,405 --> 01:17:57,438 [Commentator 2] I guess that's something 1736 01:17:57,439 --> 01:17:59,241 we've all dreamed about. 1737 01:17:59,242 --> 01:18:01,476 [Bruce Prichard] That was the right call for Kerry 1738 01:18:01,477 --> 01:18:02,778 to be world champion. 1739 01:18:02,845 --> 01:18:07,616 For that night, in that stadium, regardless of how it turned out, 1740 01:18:07,683 --> 01:18:09,084 it was the right call. 1741 01:18:09,085 --> 01:18:11,953 [Commentator] Ric switches him, pulls him back. 1742 01:18:11,954 --> 01:18:12,754 He's got him. 1743 01:18:12,755 --> 01:18:13,688 He's got him. 1744 01:18:13,689 --> 01:18:14,890 And that's it. 1745 01:18:14,957 --> 01:18:17,760 And Ric Flair, the World Heavyweight Champion, 1746 01:18:17,826 --> 01:18:18,876 once again. 1747 01:18:19,828 --> 01:18:23,138 [David Shoemaker] With an 18-day reign, the NWA was sort of doing 1748 01:18:23,198 --> 01:18:26,000 a solid for the State of Texas, you know, for Dallas, 1749 01:18:26,001 --> 01:18:28,436 for the Von Erich family, for all the tragedy 1750 01:18:28,437 --> 01:18:31,040 that they were going through right in that moment. 1751 01:18:31,106 --> 01:18:33,609 And it wasn't meant to be a long-term solution. 1752 01:18:33,610 --> 01:18:36,277 [Cathy Murray] I think for Kerry, it didn't matter 1753 01:18:36,278 --> 01:18:39,381 that he lost it so quickly because you're on top, right, 1754 01:18:39,448 --> 01:18:41,450 how much further can you go? 1755 01:18:41,517 --> 01:18:42,777 Like, "I'm accepted now." 1756 01:18:42,785 --> 01:18:43,886 Right? 1757 01:18:43,887 --> 01:18:45,753 "My dad trusted me to be able to do this, and I did it." 1758 01:18:45,754 --> 01:18:48,256 [Fritz Von Erich] I tried to do this all my life, the national 1759 01:18:48,257 --> 01:18:50,158 wrestling alliance world champion, and I was never able 1760 01:18:50,159 --> 01:18:52,194 to take it, but Kerry took it. 1761 01:18:52,261 --> 01:18:53,311 [crowd cheers] 1762 01:18:53,312 --> 01:18:54,429 [David Shoemaker] Even after losing the title, 1763 01:18:54,430 --> 01:18:57,165 the Von Erichs, they were still drawing in huge crowds, 1764 01:18:57,166 --> 01:19:00,169 and I think that just says something about their stardom. 1765 01:19:00,170 --> 01:19:03,371 [Commentator] Listen to this crowd roar. 1766 01:19:03,372 --> 01:19:04,974 They're on their feet. 1767 01:19:04,975 --> 01:19:08,543 [Fritz Von Erich] It's getting around that the Von Erichs 1768 01:19:08,544 --> 01:19:11,679 and World Class Championship Wrestling is the number one 1769 01:19:11,680 --> 01:19:13,415 sport in the world today. 1770 01:19:15,317 --> 01:19:17,547 [Brian Adias] World Class was just booming. 1771 01:19:17,753 --> 01:19:18,921 [crowd cheers] 1772 01:19:19,021 --> 01:19:22,790 [Commentator] Flying dropkick, and there goes Michael Hayes. 1773 01:19:22,791 --> 01:19:23,591 [Michael Hayes] They would play the show I think 1774 01:19:23,592 --> 01:19:26,028 it was at 11:00 AM Sunday mornings. 1775 01:19:26,128 --> 01:19:30,466 We would have a replay of that at 6:00 at night, 1776 01:19:30,566 --> 01:19:34,236 which was opposite of 60 Minutes, 1777 01:19:34,237 --> 01:19:35,970 which was the number one show in the country, 1778 01:19:35,971 --> 01:19:41,276 and we would almost double their ratings with a replay. 1779 01:19:41,277 --> 01:19:44,479 [David Shoemaker] At this point, World Class is so successful 1780 01:19:44,480 --> 01:19:48,717 that, you know, Vince McMahon takes notice. 1781 01:19:48,718 --> 01:19:51,953 [Vince McMahon] If there's one family that's dominant and 1782 01:19:51,954 --> 01:19:54,756 reigns supreme somewhat in the entire wrestling world, 1783 01:19:54,757 --> 01:19:56,525 it would be the Von Erich family. 1784 01:19:56,526 --> 01:19:57,959 [David Manning] There was a meeting that took place 1785 01:19:57,960 --> 01:19:59,595 in Dallas. 1786 01:19:59,662 --> 01:20:02,464 You know, Vince said, "Join forces with the WWE. 1787 01:20:02,564 --> 01:20:06,001 We'll go everywhere." 1788 01:20:06,068 --> 01:20:10,039 And at that time, they would even take 40%, we would be 60%. 1789 01:20:10,105 --> 01:20:13,641 We didn't do the deal. 1790 01:20:13,642 --> 01:20:16,277 Fritz was, "Why do we need you? 1791 01:20:16,278 --> 01:20:18,080 We just did 47,000 people." 1792 01:20:18,147 --> 01:20:19,715 [crowd cheers] 1793 01:20:19,716 --> 01:20:21,249 [TV Presenter 1] The wrestling family, 1794 01:20:21,250 --> 01:20:23,217 which has made Dallas and Fort Worth one of the hottest spots 1795 01:20:23,218 --> 01:20:25,287 in the sport, is still growing strong. 1796 01:20:25,354 --> 01:20:27,456 The people love the Von Erichs. 1797 01:20:27,457 --> 01:20:29,991 [TV Presenter 2] It's amazing, but wherever the Von Erichs go, 1798 01:20:29,992 --> 01:20:32,027 a crowd always follows. 1799 01:20:32,054 --> 01:20:36,164 [Brian Adias] Kerry, he was extremely popular. 1800 01:20:36,165 --> 01:20:37,833 People just loved him. 1801 01:20:37,834 --> 01:20:40,435 He was actually in an audition with Sylvester Stallone 1802 01:20:40,436 --> 01:20:45,374 for Rocky IV, and they picked Dolph Lundgren for it. 1803 01:20:45,375 --> 01:20:48,676 [Cathy Murray] But becoming famous at a really young age can 1804 01:20:48,677 --> 01:20:57,920 be difficult, and that was pretty tough for me as a wife, 1805 01:20:57,986 --> 01:20:59,976 being with somebody that was so famous. 1806 01:21:00,556 --> 01:21:03,992 [Brenda Bright] I love you too, Kerry, but you're married, so. 1807 01:21:03,993 --> 01:21:05,660 [Cathy Murray] I'm just worried about his health. 1808 01:21:05,661 --> 01:21:07,195 I'm worried that he's gonna get an eye out or somethin'. 1809 01:21:07,196 --> 01:21:08,229 [laughing] 1810 01:21:08,230 --> 01:21:09,063 I'm not really worried about the girls kissing 1811 01:21:09,064 --> 01:21:10,199 on him or anything. 1812 01:21:10,265 --> 01:21:11,366 I-I know how that goes. 1813 01:21:11,367 --> 01:21:12,233 I don't blame 'em. 1814 01:21:12,234 --> 01:21:13,267 I would, too. 1815 01:21:13,268 --> 01:21:14,898 I'd be jumping all over him, too. 1816 01:21:16,305 --> 01:21:18,040 [laughing] 1817 01:21:18,107 --> 01:21:21,076 [Cathy Murray] All of it was really hard for he and I. 1818 01:21:21,143 --> 01:21:25,180 I kept seeing Kerry Adkisson getting buried underneath 1819 01:21:25,247 --> 01:21:28,517 the Von Erich image. 1820 01:21:28,584 --> 01:21:32,955 I was losing a part of my husband that was very important 1821 01:21:33,021 --> 01:21:37,192 to me because Kerry Von Erich belonged to everybody. 1822 01:21:39,762 --> 01:21:43,398 Maybe taking the drugs helped him to escape from that. 1823 01:21:44,900 --> 01:21:47,035 Um, at least he told me that one time. 1824 01:21:47,570 --> 01:21:53,407 [Michael Hayes] That's a big responsibility, being on top, 1825 01:21:53,408 --> 01:21:56,077 because you're responsible for feeding everybody, 1826 01:21:56,078 --> 01:21:58,914 and drinking and doing drugs don't help you 1827 01:21:59,014 --> 01:22:00,882 balance that that well. 1828 01:22:00,883 --> 01:22:02,184 ? 1829 01:22:02,185 --> 01:22:03,751 [David Manning] Kerry, sometimes, is he 100 percent? 1830 01:22:03,752 --> 01:22:05,087 Is he 70 percent? 1831 01:22:05,154 --> 01:22:06,594 What have we got to work with? 1832 01:22:06,595 --> 01:22:08,389 [Kerry Von Erich] And when we finally get him in the ring, 1833 01:22:08,390 --> 01:22:12,161 Michael Hayes or Terry Gordy, I don't care which one, 1834 01:22:12,227 --> 01:22:14,097 but when we get you in the ring, baby, 1835 01:22:14,098 --> 01:22:15,563 I ain't going out to hurt you, 1836 01:22:15,564 --> 01:22:18,274 I'm going out to cripple you, and I guarantee you that. 1837 01:22:18,275 --> 01:22:22,670 [David Manning] It was hard to be in that position to where 1838 01:22:22,671 --> 01:22:26,542 you go tell someone that their son's got a problem. 1839 01:22:26,608 --> 01:22:31,078 I mentioned it one time, and I got heat for it. 1840 01:22:31,079 --> 01:22:32,129 Not from Fritz. 1841 01:22:32,130 --> 01:22:32,947 [laughing] 1842 01:22:32,948 --> 01:22:34,278 I'll just leave it at that. 1843 01:22:36,185 --> 01:22:39,655 [Kristen Nikolas] My grandmother loved her boys so much. 1844 01:22:39,721 --> 01:22:45,761 And I love Meme, I love my grandmother, but, um, 1845 01:22:45,828 --> 01:22:49,164 it's frustrating because it-it-it is just 1846 01:22:49,231 --> 01:22:50,431 so easy to blame grandad. 1847 01:22:51,233 --> 01:22:53,569 It's not always as it seems. 1848 01:22:53,635 --> 01:22:55,137 ? 1849 01:22:55,138 --> 01:22:57,104 [Michael Hayes] A lot of people wanted to make Fritz 1850 01:22:57,105 --> 01:22:58,440 the bad guy. 1851 01:22:58,441 --> 01:23:00,575 There was a deep love and respect between the boys 1852 01:23:00,576 --> 01:23:02,578 and Fritz, and it went both ways. 1853 01:23:02,644 --> 01:23:03,979 I saw it firsthand. 1854 01:23:03,980 --> 01:23:07,481 [Cathy Murray] Mr. Adkisson absolutely wanted the best 1855 01:23:07,482 --> 01:23:11,352 for his boys, but he also wanted the best for his business. 1856 01:23:11,353 --> 01:23:12,855 [crowd cheers] 1857 01:23:12,856 --> 01:23:14,422 [Michael Hayes] Fritz was also very consumed 1858 01:23:14,423 --> 01:23:17,926 with making sure that train kept running down that track, 1859 01:23:17,993 --> 01:23:20,343 and we are still breaking attendance records. 1860 01:23:20,344 --> 01:23:21,629 [Commentator] Kerry Von Erich literally having 1861 01:23:21,630 --> 01:23:23,065 to push his through. 1862 01:23:23,066 --> 01:23:24,165 [Michael Hayes] Life was great. 1863 01:23:24,166 --> 01:23:26,576 Everybody thought it was going to last forever. 1864 01:23:28,203 --> 01:23:29,671 Wrong. 1865 01:23:29,771 --> 01:23:30,821 ?? 1866 01:23:30,822 --> 01:23:32,840 [Kevin Von Erich] We had to deal with life as it comes. 1867 01:23:32,841 --> 01:23:34,476 Don't cry about it. 1868 01:23:35,077 --> 01:23:37,607 [Brian Adias] The tragedy started coming around. 1869 01:23:38,814 --> 01:23:39,982 It had its effect. 1870 01:23:41,016 --> 01:23:44,186 [Michael Hayes] Suicides, drugs, alcohol. 1871 01:23:44,286 --> 01:23:46,088 You name it. 1872 01:23:46,154 --> 01:23:47,689 It all played a part. 1873 01:23:55,109 --> 01:23:57,698 [Kevin's grandson] It's so cool 1874 01:23:57,699 --> 01:23:59,534 how you all got to wrestle together. 1875 01:23:59,535 --> 01:24:01,502 [Kevin Von Erich] Well, just imagine you and Si 1876 01:24:01,503 --> 01:24:04,873 just playing outside but there's thousands of people watching. 1877 01:24:04,973 --> 01:24:07,042 So that's what's gonna happen one day, 1878 01:24:07,043 --> 01:24:08,476 like playing with your brother, 1879 01:24:08,477 --> 01:24:10,445 in front of a bunch of people. 1880 01:24:11,813 --> 01:24:15,083 There was a time that we could all wrestle in any town and, 1881 01:24:15,150 --> 01:24:16,885 uh, sell it out. 1882 01:24:16,886 --> 01:24:18,219 [Commentator] The Von Erichs have won the hearts 1883 01:24:18,220 --> 01:24:19,554 of wrestling fans. 1884 01:24:19,621 --> 01:24:22,451 They're the most popular wrestling family in the world. 1885 01:24:23,477 --> 01:24:25,559 [Kevin Von Erich] Eh. 1886 01:24:25,560 --> 01:24:26,962 It's not like people think. 1887 01:24:27,396 --> 01:24:28,829 It's a family business. 1888 01:24:28,830 --> 01:24:29,830 It wasn't fun. 1889 01:24:29,831 --> 01:24:30,881 It was work. 1890 01:24:30,882 --> 01:24:33,801 [Kristen Nikolas] You're pressured to be on 1891 01:24:33,802 --> 01:24:34,852 all of the time. 1892 01:24:35,370 --> 01:24:37,673 An image that they all want to uphold. 1893 01:24:37,674 --> 01:24:40,041 [Fritz Von Erich] They're just good boys. 1894 01:24:40,042 --> 01:24:41,542 The world just needs heroes today. 1895 01:24:41,543 --> 01:24:42,644 That's all. 1896 01:24:42,645 --> 01:24:44,078 [Hollie Chilton] There's pressure 1897 01:24:44,079 --> 01:24:45,480 to keep that name alive. 1898 01:24:45,481 --> 01:24:46,881 [TV Presenter 3] Professional wrestler, Mike Von Erich, 1899 01:24:46,882 --> 01:24:48,584 remains in critical condition. 1900 01:24:48,585 --> 01:24:49,884 [Dr. Bill Sutker] If Mike Von Erich dies, 1901 01:24:49,885 --> 01:24:51,575 the whole world is gonna hate you. 1902 01:24:51,576 --> 01:24:52,753 [Kerry Von Erich] It's in the Lord's plan 1903 01:24:52,754 --> 01:24:53,921 for these things to happen. 1904 01:24:53,922 --> 01:24:55,891 The Von Erichs are strong. 1905 01:24:55,892 --> 01:24:58,225 [Cathy Murray] I saw a lot of depression in him. 1906 01:24:58,226 --> 01:25:01,296 [Hollie Adkisson] I do remember times where he wasn't sober. 1907 01:25:01,297 --> 01:25:04,031 [Fritz Von Erich] The doctor told him he just might never 1908 01:25:04,032 --> 01:25:05,722 be able to go back into wrestling. 1909 01:25:05,723 --> 01:25:07,835 [TV Presenter 4] Dozens of searchers have been scouring 1910 01:25:07,836 --> 01:25:10,726 Lake Lewisville by ground and air since Wednesday night. 1911 01:25:10,727 --> 01:25:11,839 [Cathy Murray] When I got the call, 1912 01:25:11,840 --> 01:25:13,408 I knew our world was crumbling. 1913 01:25:13,409 --> 01:25:15,710 [TV Presenter 5] Investigators found a handwritten note. 1914 01:25:15,711 --> 01:25:17,521 "Mom and Dad, I'm in a better place." 1915 01:25:17,522 --> 01:25:20,498 [Kerry Von Erich] I'd rather die than let you folks down. 1916 01:25:20,499 --> 01:25:25,049 Repair and Synchronization by Easy Subtitles Synchronizer 1.0.0.0