Today as I watched a video tape of the special edition of Raw and the Best of 2002 and saw the special Raw Retro Moment of Owen Hart's farewell, I couldn't help but think back to what I was feeling back on May 23, 1999 at Over the Edge while I was watching the event after Owen's fall. Throughout the show, I didn't know if he was seriously hurt or if it was just a stunt. When they announced later on in the event that Owen Hart had died as a result of his fall, I was in disbelief and denial. I'd been watching Owen perform in the WWE since his days as "The Rocket" and basically grew up with him. Now, I'd never get to see Owen play the role of villain on WWE television; a role that he had perfected over the years. His wife Martha would never get to talk and spend time with her husband ever again, and his two young children Oge and Athena would never have the chance to be held in their father's arms ever again.
When they had the special edition of Raw the next night and I saw the darkened arena and all the wrestlers lined up on the ramp, that's when it hit me that this was really happening. As the Superstars told their stories and memories of Owen, you could really tell that this guy was a class act not only in the ring, but outside of it as well. A complete professional inside the ring and a dedicated family man outside of it is what made Owen Hart who he was. I got to see how his tragic death would affect not only the wrestling business, but the people close to him who knew him off camera as a friend. His death took place nearly four years ago, and it doesn't seem nearly that long. When you think of his huge win over his brother Bret Hart at WrestleMania X back on March 20, 1994; that's when I really consider Owen Hart as "arriving" in the business. Then, on May 23, 1999; a little over five years after making it big, he was gone. The short time that has gone by since his death is just a little bit shorter than the time Owen had to establish his legacy in wrestling. To be at the top and flourish in professional wrestling for any amount of time is hard, and to leave behind a legacy is even harder. Owen did both of those things in just FIVE YEARS.
My favorite Owen moment just happens to be that match with Bret at WrestleMania X. The match took place in Madison Square Garden, and at the time, Bret was "the guy" to beat in the WWE if you wanted to make a name for yourself. Owen was sick and tired of being in Bret's shadow, and he wanted to have his name mentioned with the elite alongside his brother. I was only nine years old at the time, so their fued was very interesting to me. I have the video tape of that event and their match, and as I look at it and compare it to some of the matches of today, you really can see just how far ahead of his time Owen was. Every move in that WrestleMania X match was executed with percision, and every move was sold with Golden Globe quality acting. At the time, I was on the edge of my seat throughout the whole match, and even today as I watch it, I still get excited even though I've witnessed the outcome 100 times over.
The world truly lost one of the greatest professional wrestlers, husbands, and fathers that there has ever been, and to this day, everybody who ever saw Owen compete still misses him. What I wouldn't give to see one final classic wrestling match featuring the King of Harts.
