The tragic death of Owen Hart shocked the wrestling world. Owen has been a beloved wrestler with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) since 1992. He was set to return to WWF in a crucial match that night but never made it to the ring. His sudden and unexpected death left many wondering what exactly happened that night and what was the cause of his untimely passing.
Owen Hart’s Cause Of Death
Owen Hart fell from the rafters of the Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri, on May 23, 1999, during a Pay-Per-View taping of WWF Over The Edge 1999. Internal bleeding caused by blunt force trauma was determined to be Owen Hart’s cause of death. During a stunt where he was to be dropped into the ring by a harness (in his “Blue Blazer” guise) before his Intercontinental Championship match against fellow wrestler The Godfather, a deadly accident was filmed.
"All That I Can Say About Owen Hart, Is That I Hope That I Can Be, As Good A Man As Him, So That I Can See Him Again, Someday" – Jim Ross pic.twitter.com/4AhtLXDLb8
— JustRasslin (@JustRasslin) May 4, 2017
Read More: Prince Rogers Nelson Singer Obituary, What was Prince Rogers Nelson Cause of Death?
For comic effect, he was supposed to release his harness a few feet above the ring, causing him to fall flat on his face (as his wrestling persona was a bumbling superhero). Accidentally unlatching the harness prematurely caused Hart to fall 24 meters chest-first against the top rope before violently being flung into the ring. The impact of the fall badly injured him, and he eventually succumbed to blunt-force injuries to the chest at the hospital.
Read More: Andrew Symonds Cause Of Death; Here Is All You Need To Know
Owen Hart’s Death Was Due To A Fall
Owen Hart is said to have fallen 78 feet and landed chest-first on the top rope (near one of the padded turnbuckles).
Television viewers did not see the Owen Hart fall since a prerecorded interview tape was played before the entry. Jim Ross, a WWE Hall of Fame announcer and one of the night’s commentators, later notified home viewers that Hart had fallen from the rafters and that it was not part of the show.
He was pronounced dead after being taken to the Trauma Medical Center in Kansas City after sustaining severe injuries. The Owen Hart postmortem report confirmed that internal bleeding caused by blunt force trauma was the cause of Owen Hart’s death.
Saw Owen Hart trending today as it’s the 22nd anniversary of his tragic passing. Owen was so kind to me as an extra, which was rare then. Huge respect to a great man & performer, who was ahead of his time in both capacities as it relates to this biz. pic.twitter.com/C0Z5BaI0Qi
— MATT HARDY (@MATTHARDYBRAND) May 23, 2021
Read More: Who Is Cobra Kai’s Albert Omstead? What Was His Cause Of Death?
Final Words
In conclusion, Owen Hart’s tragic death brought the wrestling world to an abrupt halt. The cause of his death was malfunctioning rigging equipment, plummeting him from the arena’s rafters. His death has been controversial for many years as people question why proper safety protocols were not in place. Despite this tragedy, Owen Hart’s memory continues to live on through his wrestling legacy and those who cherish the memories he left behind.