Celebrating a Wrestling Legend: Happy Belated Birthday Owen Hart

It's been almost nine years since I saw a WWE (then WWF) pay-per-view event that I wish never happened.

May 23, 1999: I was laying in my room watching WWF Over the Edge, waiting for the Blue Blazer to make his entrance.

Next thing I know, I see a blip on the screen of a blue blur, followed by a quick cut-away of the camera and a haunting thud.  What exactly was being shown at that moment is up for debate—but believe me, the memory is burned into my head.

At the time, I didn't know what I had just seen.

Then I hear Jim Ross say that Owen had fallen, and it wasn't an angle or a story line.  It was real.

It was a haunting thought.

Several minutes later—what seemed like hours—Jim Ross breaks the news every wrestling fan was hoping we wouldn't hear...Owen had passed away.

The next night, Raw and Nitro alike were dedicated to his memory.  I cried during both shows.  Hearing the stories of one of the, absolute, greatest performers in professional wrestling brought me to tears.

But my intention at this point in time is not to relive that.  It's to celebrate the life we lost.

This week—May 7th to be exact—Owen would have turned 43.

In honor of us his birthday, I celebrate the superstar, the performer, and the celebrity that captivated me every time he entered the ring.

I met Owen only one time...but that was enough to show me a lot of what others who knew him well saw.  Which is also why I write this.

For younger wrestling fans who may have not had the pleasure of seeing him perform: take the time to do so.  YouTube and Daily Motion have plenty of videos that capture his talent in its greatest form, so take advantage.

And to Owen: As a fan who will never forget what you brought to the business—and the champion you were both in and out of the ring—Happy Birthday.