By Erich R Pilcher

A common saying is “You should never meet your heroes”. Ever since I heard that quote, I have always taken exception to it. My main argument was, why wouldn’t you want to meet your heroes?

I’ve met my three childhood heroes: Ric Flair (a huge disappointment), William Shatner (a delight), and Bret “The Hitman” Hart.

In some way, I found I could relate to Bret. He wasn’t the biggest or the strongest. But as a child growing up, I never doubted The Hitman could beat any challenger. When I met Hart, he was very gracious and cordial. When I departed, I told him thank you for never letting me down and being my hero. He said he was glad he never let me down and thanked me for letting him be my hero. Twelve-year-old me shrieked in joy as forty-one-year-old me walked out on cloud nine.

Unfortunately, my hero has let me down, and it is as heartbreaking now as it would have been when I was a child.

At an event hosted by Johnny I Pro Show in Montreal, Hart spoke about one of pro wrestling’s most infamous events, the “Montreal Screw job”. This took place at World Wrestling Entertainment’s (WWE) annual November event, Survivor Series, in 1997. This event was the unscripted, real-life double cross of Hart, orchestrated by WWE Chairman Vincent McMahon and opponent/real-life rival Shawn Michaels to get the championship off of Hart in his last night with the company. Ever since that night, the mere mention of it elicits debates and discussions regarding every bit of it, even the legitimacy of whether it was scripted or not (the key participants have vehemently denied it being scripted to this day).

When speaking about this, Hart dropped a bombshell: “I think that Shawn and Vince were sleeping with each other. I’m just telling you, I think I’m very close to the truth here. Shawn and Vince were lovers. I’m being dead honest. When I look back, it’s like I got caught between two lovers, and I got shafted and screwed over, and Shawn was so envious and jealous of my position that he finally had to sleep with Vince to get it.” Hart said.

He concluded, “I would say it to Shawn if he were right here. I would actually like to have Shawn come clean and say, ‘Look, we were lovers.’ Because I’m sure they were.”

In an effort to present all sides, Michaels was difficult to work with then (he has since become a Born Again Christian and changed his life), and the controversy surrounding McMahon and his alleged illegal sexual acts is well known. But this is a reach for attention, using McMahon’s controversy to garner attention for himself and create scandalous headlines. A far cry from the heroic being Hart was during his career.

Ever since his in-ring career ended because of a severe concussion suffered in late 1999 (Due to a mule kick delivered by Bill Goldberg), Hart has had some very strong opinions regarding all aspects of the business, most of them negative. To be fair, Hart has suffered great loss and tragedy in the pro wrestling business. His brother Owen died performing a pre-match stunt for WWE at an event in May 1999. The aforementioned screw job and his career ending early, one could almost sympathize with Hart. Personally, I always defended Hart’s takes because deep down I viewed him as I did as a child, the morally upstanding hero that would never let me down.

That is, until now, and I cannot defend him any longer.

For context, Hart suffered a stroke in 2002, and it is widely believed the concussion that ended his career caused it. Strokes can cause many long-lasting mental issues, including mood swings and instability. In 2009, Hart returned to WWE on Monday Night Raw and buried the hatchet with Michaels. It appeared decades of personal and professional rivalry had been put to bed. That is, until these comments.

Many have dismissed Hart’s claims. Professional wrestling legends Kevin Nash, Jim Cornette, and Eric Bischoff (whom Hart has gone on numerous tirades against) have all said this is false, and Bischoff even suggested Hart seek professional help.

As a middle-aged adult, my heart breaks to see my hero become a shell of what once was. An upstanding man who would mostly fight for what was right. Now, he fights for clicks and adulating cheers from crowds. The cheers are done for the blistering burials Hart unleashes whenever he feels the need on whoever he feels deserves it. Not for what they should be for, tales of road stories and matches from the greatest ring technician ever.

As for me, I choose to remember Bret for what he meant to me as a child. His great matches and moments that are etched in time. When these episodes occur (and they will continue), I realize I will have to try harder to find that warm nostalgia of Hart. Regardless of what happens next, I will know that I met him when he was my hero and that he never let me down. That will have to be the lasting memory. Because if it were anything after that, it would be the HART breaking downfall of my hero.