Kerry Von Erich was one of the biggest stars the wrestling territories created. He was a genuine modern-day hero in Texas. When he beat Nature Boy Ric Flair for the NWA World Championship at a show dedicated to his brother David, it was one of the biggest moments in Texas wrestling history. He resisted moving on to a more national stage, and when he did, his career was on its downside. Sadly, his move to WWE only worsened his growing personal problems and by the time he left, he only had a short time left to live.

Kerry Von Erich took his own life on February 18, 1993. This followed a terrible accident that left him unable to perform as well as he previously could. The accident also led to addiction issues that themselves led to legal problems. This is the story of a once-promising wrestling star whose life spiraled out of control until he felt there was nothing left to live for.

UPDATE: 2024/01/06 07:30 EST BY SHAWN S. LEALOS

The life of Kerry Von Erich is back in the spotlight along with his brothers in the A-24 movie The Iron Claw. The movie shows the lives, and tragic deaths, of all but one of the Von Erich brothers as they fought their way to the top of the professional wrestling industry. The movie has received high praise, certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with an 89% score, while also picking up a 93% positive rating from fans. While not everything in the movie is completely factual, it does offer a look at one of the most dynamic families in wrestling history, and one of the most downfalls after they made it to the top.

The Von Erich Tragedies Is One Of Wrestling's Most Heartbreaking Stories

The story of the Von Erich family is a tragic one. Fritz Von Erich, born Jack Adkisson, was trained by Stu Hart and became a huge wrestling star in the NWA and AWA wrestling promotions. In 1950, Fritz got married and he and his wife Doris welcomed six sons into the world. The tragedy started early, and it never ended up until Fritz's death from lung cancer in 1997. His youngest son Jack died when he was six, electrocuting himself in an accident via a power line at a trailer park. The other five kids all grew up and became professional wrestlers, although only three of them became stars.

David Von Erich was the third-oldest Von Erich son and the most talented of the entire clan. He was destined to become a future world champion and the NWA had big plans for the Yellow Rose of Texas. This all ended when David died in 1984 in Tokyo, Japan, from an apparent drug overdose. The two youngest sons were the ones who had it roughest in professional wrestling. Mike Von Erich was undersized but seemed like a scrappy underdog. However, he contracted toxic shock syndrome, which devastated his body. In 1987, he went into the woods and took his own life. Chris Von Erich was the youngest, and he never had what it took to be a wrestling star. In 1991, at 21, he took his own life. With Kerry Von Erich also dying by suicide in 1993, Kevin Von Erich was the last brother left alive.

Kerry Von Erich's Tragic Death In 1993 Came After A Disappointing WWE Run

Von Erich Won The Intercontinental Championship

Kerry Von Erich was a huge star in World Class Championship Wrestling. While he received preferential treatment as a member of the Von Erich family, he had the look and charisma of a star. He wasn't the best on the mic and his move-set was limited in the ring, but he had an "it" factor that won fans over regardless of his limitations. When he beat Ric Flair for the NWA World Championship, it was clear Flair carried the match, but all Kerry had to do was hit his moves and show his smile, and the fans ate it up. No one was bigger than Kerry Von Erich at the time.

However, Kerry found things getting rough starting in 1989. World Class Wrestling shut its doors and merged with the USWA. Jerry Lawler, the biggest star in the USWA, ended up going over on Kerry and the Von Erich star began to struggle to find his new place in a world without his beloved Texas promotion. After resisting a move to WWE for many years, he finally relented in 1990 and signed on with Vince McMahon's promotion. However, there was one thing that many fans didn't know about Kerry at this time. In 1986, he was involved in a motorcycle accident that resulted in the amputation of his right foot. Because he received a prosthesis and wore it under his wrestling boots, no one was the wiser, and it remained a secret.

This limited him even more in the ring, and when he was in WWE, he wasn't the same Kerry Von Erich that won the NWA World Championship. Vince McMahon also renamed him The Texas Tornado and eliminated the Von Erich name. While he still had his chiseled body and big smile, there was something different, something missing. Kerry had become addicted to painkillers following his accident and amputation. This also led to two drug-related arrests. The first resulted in probation and the second saw Kerry facing significant time in prison. Instead of going to jail, Kerry returned home to his father's ranch and died by suicide, firing one single bullet into his heart (via The Baltimore Sun).

Bret Hart wrote about this in his book, Hitman:

"Kerry confided that he’d made up his mind to join his brothers in heaven," Bret wrote. He went on to say that he tried to talk Kerry out of it, saying that Kerry's children would need their dad. However, after the second arrest, Kerry decided it was time to go.

"Owen and I were deeply saddened, but who could be surprised? As the son of a wrestling promoter, Kerry never found it easy living up to the hopes and expectations put before him... I just wished there had been something I could have done to help Kerry. We all did."

Kerry Von Erich left behind two daughters, Hollie Brooke and Lacey, the latter of whom went on to become a professional wrestler herself for a short time.

The Iron Claw Movie Chronicled Kerry Von Erich's Tragedies

The Von Erich family has taken on a new life thanks to the movie The Iron Claw. This is a wrestling movie, but it is a lot more prestigious than other releases. This might be the biggest professional wrestling movie since The Wrestler with Mickey Rourke. Starring Zac Efron as Kevin Von Erich, this movie is released by A-24, the studio behind critically beloved movies like the Oscar-winning Everything, Everywhere, All At Once, horror masterpiece Hereditary, and the Brendan Fraser Oscar-winning movie The Whale. Sean Durkin (Martha Marcy May Marlene) directs the movie.

On top of Efron, Jeremy Allen White (Lip Gallagher from Shameless) will star as Kerry Von Erich. The movie appears to tell the story of how patriarch Fritz Von Erich (Holt McCallany) pushed his sons so hard that their high times ended up overshadowed by deaths and tragedies, including that of Kerry Von Erich. Other actors involved include Zac Efron as Kevin Von Erich, Harris Dickinson as David Von Erich, Stanley Simons as Mike Von Erich, and Lily James as Pam Adkisson. Real-life wrestlers in the movie include MJF as the fake Von Erich cousin Lance, Chavo Guerrero Jr. as The Sheik, and Ryan Nemeth as Gino Hernandez.

Kevin Von Erich Emphasizes The Iron Claw Is A Fictionalized Re-Telling

After the movie came out, Kevin Von Erich was mostly impressed with the story it told, but he did want fans to know that there were things in The Iron Claw that were not completely accurate. While many people in wrestling blamed Fritz Von Erich and his harsh demands on the deaths of David, Kerry, Mike, and Chris, Kevin refuses to accept that and still defends his father to this day (via Talk is Jericho podcast).

"I'd like people to know that it's a movie. It's made for entertainment. It's not quite as historical, but I'll tell you my dad was a great man ... I want everyone to know he comes off pretty rank in this movie. You would think that the pressure that Fritz put on us is why my brothers would commit suicide. I mean, why would anyone commit suicide? That is so far beyond me, but it's drugs. Drugs did it. That, and the fact that Kerry lost his foot and wouldn't be able to come back. Mike, with that fever, he was not coming back. It was a hopeless feeling inside to let everyone down, and you just feel like dirt. All my brothers were super loyal, and that's what it was, the shame and guilt for failing. It was not my dad."

On top of the blame falling on Fritz at times in The Iron Claw, there were other changes, including combining Chris and Mike into one character rather than having yet another death showcased in the movie. Add in a few more fictional moments, like the timing of Kerry's motorcycle accident and Kevin finding Kerry rather than their dad finding him, and it is clear that not everything in the movie is completely accurate. However, the brotherly love and the connection between the Von Erich family remain true, and that makes Kerry Von Erich's death even more tragic for those he left behind.