Chris Benoit

I just don’t know what to say.

When I used to go to Stampede Wrestling here in Edmonton, I used to see Chris Benoit in the crowd with the rest of us fans. I remember when he first broke into the business. I remember when he won his first title. I’ve watched him wrestle virtually his entire career. And for all that time, I’ve also admired him. His work in the ring was always crisp, sharp, quick and intense. In fact, I patterned parts of “Mr. Intensity” after Chris’ style.

You can’t imagine how thrilled I was when Chris won the World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania XX in Madison Square Garden. For ANYONE who’s ever wanted to be a wrestler that would be the ultimate. Like finding the Holy Grail at Christmastime in Mecca. It was his dream and it had come true. And his response at the end of the match, bursting into tears when he was announced as “the winner and NEW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION!” was exactly appropriate. I remember watching that with my kids. Right at that moment, I paused the DVD, wiped the tears out of my eyes and told them, “If you guys do nothing else with your lives, know that moment.” It seems kind of hokey typing it here, but I meant it then. He worked hard to achieve his dreams, he didn’t listen to anyone who said he couldn’t do it, and he accepted the sacrifices he had to make. I held him up to my kids as someone to emulate.

How the hell do I do that now?