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I couldn't write something as eloquent as Kayfabe so I won't try but Owen was someone special to us.
In a sense, we as fans got to watch Owen grow up through the business.
My Dad, Grandpa and I used to go to the Stampede wrestling shows when I was very young. I feel priveledged to have been able to see so many greats; Dynamite Kid, Davey, Chris Benoit, Brian Pillman, Gama Singh, and later on Owen. The one night in particular I remember Owen was in the main event against Mike Shaw or Mukah Singh at that time. It went back and forth until Owen queued up the comeback (As Ed Whalen and Jim used to say, he had the Eye of the Tiger) and beat the holy hell out of him and won by count out. Mike had had enough and was leaving while Owen stood in the ring with the mic and had the crowd chanting "Chicken Shit" at the top of their lungs, me included. For me, at the ripe age of 10 to get away with this in front of my Dad and my Grandpa was pretty cool. All they did was laugh at me. Any other time and my ass would been well tanned.
Owen always stood out to me for whatever reason. Somewhere in my parents house there's a box with some old pictures I'd had on my wall and one of them was of the "Man of a 1001 Holds" Owen Hart holding, I believe, the North American Championship.
The last time I saw Owen live was at the Rock Bottom PPV where he faced Steve Blackman. It didn't matter that he was a heel at the time the crowd went nuts for him and booed Blackman. The ending was always suspect to me but it was great to see him again.
We were at my parents house when we heard that Owen had been killed the night before at the PPV. I sped home in shock to watch Raw that night. The show made me tear up more than once. The business had lost a wonderful worker, we lost a hero but his family lost so much more.
That day in May we all lost someone special. Someday when he is old enough, I'll tell my son how his name was inspired by a good person who was taken from us far too soon.
Rest In Peace Owen. We think of you often.
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