Guest Hitman Jebus Posted February 11, 2003 Report Posted February 11, 2003 Sean Waltman remembers his friend Curt Hennig By Sean Waltman, special guest writer Feb 10, 2003, 10:52 pm Good Bye My Friend You were the last of the "Old Guard" I just received the news that another one of ours is gone. That kind of news hits me hard, But it doesn't really shock me anymore. When Owen Hart died it hit extra hard because he did everything the right way and still didn't get the pay off in the end. Today's loss is the first to hit me that hard since Owen. Not for the same reasons, though. Today one of my best friends died. And today a bridge between the past and the future of our business has been lost. Curt Hennig is a personality that could light up even the most dismal locker room. He was perhaps the funniest, and funniest person I know. He and Owen had a lot in common that way. Two of the funniest people I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. Both are no longer with us. I just want to try briefly to give some people an idea, who might not realize the magnitude of Curt's contributions the careers of many of us, of the mark he left on Wrestling. Curt took me under his wing when I was 20 years old and just entering the WWF. He instilled many of the values I have in understanding the wrestling business, and that it is our responsibility to pass down the knowledge as it was passed to us. Or as he passed to me. But he has influenced the careers of so many of the greats in wrestling. Guys who then in turn did the same. Like a pyramid effect. Shawn Michaels and Scott Hall are the two I think of first. They were with Curt in the AWA days. I just remembered that it was Curt who actually coined the nick name "Heart Break Kid" on an episode of Primetime Wrestling. It was from a country singer named Chris LeDoux's song. He always had a way of relating situations in wrestling to a country song. He loved driving down the road with friends and singing country tunes. I had some of my best times with Curt. He was also the kind of guy who could "hold court" any where. He was always laughing, and I will tell you that Curt Hennig enjoyed LIFE! He made sure no matter how shitty things were, he was damn sure gonna create some fun. He was the King of All Ribbers as well. I ended up with no eyebrows after my first road trip with him. I actually have gone from tears to having a great big grin on my face as I'm writing this. I don't feel like Curt was short-changed in life. He had one hell of a life. He always told me that a guy should have fun no matter what. He would quote older wrestlers and I remember him talking about Lonnie Mayne. I think it was him, if not it was someone like that who said that he always said, "Every day is Christmas and every meal is a Banquet" or something like that. If anyone was shortchanged I will say it was his children and wonderful wife Leonice. Leonice and Curt were together since high school. If ever there was a wrestler's wife who was a saint, it was her. She hung in there like a champ. He had four kids. Joe is the oldest, I think 22 or 23 , then Amy and Kate. Then there is Hank. He's a lot like Curt. His name is actually Curtis Henry, just Hank for short. He is my son Jesse's age, almost 11 years old. I don' t know what the circumstances are surrounding this. I just know I lost a close friend and wrestling has lost probably the last guy from the old "guard" that wanted to still teach the new guys the right way. A lot of people are going to use this as there reason to get back up on their soap boxes and talk about how bad wrestling is. Well, go ahead if it makes you feel like you are doing good. I know from living the life that things will be always be the way they have always been. Right or wrong. We all know and freely choose the road we travel through life on. Curt knew better than anyone, Just like I do and so many others that are here today or that have passed away. I learned many valuable lessons from Curt Hennig, and I believe he taught me one thing above all else: It's how you live, not how you die, and you never know when your number is up, so don't think you'll do something tomorrow because there may not be one. I Love you Curt, and you will be missed more than you knew. Thanks for everything. Thanks for giving back more than you took from our sport! *** from pwtorch.com
Guest The Mighty Damaramu Posted February 11, 2003 Report Posted February 11, 2003 Wow.....kind words by X-Pac there. And you know Curt is right. Live life for the moment. Because there may not be a tomorrow. And I like his ideology. Have fun everywhere you go. Curt you've taught me something even in death.
Guest BifEverchad Posted February 11, 2003 Report Posted February 11, 2003 What a great, touching piece of writing there by Waltman. Its nice to see someone like him speak up so quickly about Curt, and deliever it so well.
Guest Dmann2000 Posted February 11, 2003 Report Posted February 11, 2003 I just realized two of my favorite live experiences involved Mr. Perfect 2nd House Show 1990- fought Ultimate Warrior for the WWF title (lost, though he should've won that one, lousy Hogan) KOTR 1993- Bret Hart vs Mr. Perfect, and I saw it all 8 rows back. Thank you Curt. Thank you thank you thank you. You always will be in my top 5.
Guest creativename Posted February 11, 2003 Report Posted February 11, 2003 Props to Sean Waltman for getting this tribute out so quickly. The fact that he took the time to do this right away shows that he truly cared.
Guest bob_barron Posted February 11, 2003 Report Posted February 11, 2003 That was a very nice tribute by X-Pac and made me glad to know that Mr. Perfect loved life as much as we loved watching him live it
Guest evilhomer Posted February 11, 2003 Report Posted February 11, 2003 Well written by Waltman, props to him for a great job. He brings up a good point about the farewell to the old guard. Henning was a perfect (pardon the pun) heel, his mind would have been very valuable to the business long past when his in ring career ended. I hope all up and comers have the sense to look at the tapes and see how it should be done.
Guest Slapnuts00 Posted February 11, 2003 Report Posted February 11, 2003 Beautiful tribute from someone who was very close to him. I feel so sad for his family though...
Guest Dmann2000 Posted February 11, 2003 Report Posted February 11, 2003 USA Today has a small blurb on the last page of their sports section. It always pains me that they'll report the deaths of TV/Film/Sports stars that might not have been well known, but Pro wrestlers are snubbed, unless there death is sensational (like Owen Hart) or they were a larger than life persona (Andre). I bet more people knew who Curt Henning was then some deaths I see reported in many papers.
Guest Suicide King Posted February 12, 2003 Report Posted February 12, 2003 Very nice, very moving. It's always nice to see this side of the business, it's just such a shame that it always occurs around such tragedy.
Guest Rob Edwards Posted February 12, 2003 Report Posted February 12, 2003 Touching words from Mr Waltman, I have been kinda critical of him in the past but the fact that he got a tribute that was so moving and out so quickly makes me look at the man from a different perspective props to you Sean
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