Pro-Wrestling Kerry Von Erich Page #4 Pro-Wrestling Kerry Von Erich Page #4
Last updated 21 April 2015
Hours after his death, Kerry Von Erich's name still shone on the lighted marquee outside the Sportatorium in Dallas, where he was scheduled to wrestle the "Angel of Death" in an iron claw vs. titanium claw duel Friday.
Inside, friends gathered to mourn and to plan a fitting memorial for the wrestler whose real name was Kerry Adkisson.
"There's been wrestling here every Friday night since 1938, and Kerry would want it to go on tomorrow night," said Grey Pierson, wrestling promoter and Mr. Adkisson's friend. Behind him was the wrestling ring to which Mr. Adkisson had returned only 2 1/2 months ago.
"We will have a memorial for Kerry and then, as Kerry would have wanted, go forward with the wrestling."
As Mr. Pierson continued with the television interviews in the dark, damp wrestling arena, Sportatorium director of operations David Hightower continued answering phone calls from distraught fans.
Many of the callers, he said, "were girls crying and asking 'Is it true? Is it really true?'"
Mr. Hightower said he learned of the 33-year-old wrestler's death the same way many fans did.
"I heard about it on the radio," he said. "I was about 300 yards away" from the Sportatorium at 1000 S.Industrial Blvd. when he walked into his office, he found 68 messages on the ticket office answering machine.
Wrestling fans wanted to know whether Friday's matches would be held, and avid Von Erich fans wanted to know where to send cards and flowers. (Callers were advised to send them to the Sportatorium. Officials there will make sure they get to the family, Mr. Pierson said.)
Amid the ringing, Bill Colville, Mr. Adkisson's friend and bodyguard of more than 13 years, and Mr. Hightower reminisced about their friend.
Behind the championship wrestling belts, the drug problems and the family fame and tragedy, there was a child who loved children, his friends said.
"He had lived the last two months for his daughters and kids" in general, said Mr. Hightower.
Mr. Adkisson doted on his daughters, 8-year-old Holly and 6-year-old Lacy, and spent as much time with them as possible. He frequently donated money to children's charities, Mr. Colville said.
"I'd sure like people to know the Kerry Von Erich that I know," said Mr.Colville. "He goes to his kids' school every Friday and reads to the classes and has lunch with his daughters. He's never been too busy to stop and talk to a kid. We've toured I don't know how many children's hospitals."
Mr. Colville recalled the time Mr. Adkisson had returned from a wrestling match in Corpus Christi.
"We got him off a plane to take a tour through Medical City for the Craniofacial Foundation. He'd torn a ligament and was having to lean on me through the whole tour."
Mr. Adkisson ignored the pain, his friend said, and "went into kids' rooms and visited with them and talked with people in waiting rooms."
Friday, Mr. Adkisson will be remembered by thousands of fans, friends, and fellow wrestlers. A memorial is scheduled for 8 p.m. at the Sportatorium, where speeches will be followed by the traditional last ringing of the bell and a minute of silence.
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