If you’ve seen The Iron Claw, you’re probably curious in how Kerry Von Erich died and how his legacy affects professional wrestlers today. Sean Durkin directed the film, which stars Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Stanley Simmons, and Harris Dickinson as Kevin, Kerry, Mike, and David Von Erich, the brothers who are a professional wrestling dynasty named after their patriarch and father Fritz Von Erich. The film touches on their boxing successes as well as the so-called “Von Erich curse,” which befalls each brother.
How Did Kerry Von Erich Die?
Kerry Von Erich committed suicide at his father’s estate on February 18, 1993. He was killed with a single bullet to the heart. Kerry was engaged in a motorbike accident in 1986, in which he had a critically wounded leg and a dislocated hip. He eventually had his right leg amputated and fought to keep the operation and his prosthetic leg hidden from the public. Soon after the amputation, the professional wrestler became hooked to painkillers, which could have resulted in a quick fall in mental health.
Who is Kerry Von Erich?
The Von Erich family, with roots in professional wrestling, was no stranger to grief. The grandfather, Fritz Von Erich, had six sons, but catastrophe loomed from the outset. Jack, the youngest, fatally electrocuted himself when he was six years old. David, a wrestling prodigy poised for greatness, died of an apparent drug overdose in 1984. Mike, another son, succumbed to toxic shock syndrome, which took his life in 1987. Chris, the youngest, struggled with his demons, eventually committing suicide in 1991. The focus subsequently shifted to Kerry. But a negative spiral eventually took hold of his life, resulting in Kerry Von Erich’s death.
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Hollie, Kerry’s daughter Statement:
Kerry Von Erich, along with his brothers, were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame posthumously in 2009. Hollie, Kerry’s daughter, spoke about her father’s legacy and how he was as a father. “Well, I saw, and this is not the foundation of my dad,” Hollie recalled. “He was a devoted father.” He was a lovely person, but he had; I know there was a lot of inner anguish following his motorbike accident, simply feeling like a fraud. So you can only image what it might do to someone if you’re hiding something and can’t be yourself. The big deal was that.”