AS I SEE IT – Pulling Down the Strap on Death
Bob Magee
Pro Wrestling: Between the Sheets
As a newspaper columnist put it this past week: looks like Jerry Lawler pulled down the strap on death.
In what has to be seen as a remarkable comeback of guts, medical science, and physical endurance, Lawler returned home this past week to Memphis to start his recovery.
He gave a press conference back on Wednesday that aired live on multiple Memphis TV stations My Fox Memphis on Sept. 19 to talk about his recent heart attack.
Other than sounding somewhat raspy from a breathing tube that had been down his throat for a few days , he sounded pretty much like Jerry Lawler. From all appearances, he was in a remarkably good frame of mind as he discussed his health. Lawler acknowledged that WWE’s Doctor Sampson saved his life with the CPR. The only discomfort he felt was possibly from bruised ribs as a result of the CPR.
Lawler said there had been a history of heart attacks in his family, with his father suffering seven heart attacks. Lawler indicated he had no heart issues in the past, suggesting that the fact that he’s never smoked, and never touched alcohol likely helped minimize the damage to his heart. He does acknowledge his one vice being fried chicken and needing to exercise more. Lawler thinks he can get back to normal activities sooner than doctors recommend.
He said that on the night of the RAW telecast on which he had his attack, that he “has no memories of the WWE Monday Night Raw event, not even the match he worked”.
Now…for something I do yearly here as the temperatures turn cooler and the leaves start turning colors.
Even with temperatures in the 60s and 70s in the last week of September here in the Philadelphia area, and green leaves still on the trees here in southern New Jersey, Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year will soon be here. Your friendly not-so-local retail mega-store will soon be killing lots of trees to print advertisements to sell you and I all sorts of goodies. Ads will be running on TV non-stop. People will maul each other to get this year’s “must have” toy or game system or IPhone version for their kids or themselves.
But more in keeping with the actual spirit of the season, the wrestling community will reach out to those in need. Independent promotions hold a wide variety of events to benefit various food pantries, shelters, Toys for Tots drives. Over the years, promotions ranging from the family-friendly United Wrestling Coalition to the hardcore themed Combat Zone Wrestling to indies of various sizes and types trough the United States and Canada. Even if you don’t have one in your own area this Holiday season, please take time to contribute to or volunteer with such organizations.
So as I ask promotions and readers each year, please e-mail any announcements about scheduled Holiday charitable-themed (fund-raisers for clothes, food pantries or Toys for Toys, etc.) wrestling or MMA events to [email protected].
Until next time….
— Bob Magee