That for me was the saving grace of the Dark Side episode - to see Kevin now has an almost Paradise-like homelife, even if he does have to carry all of his with him. Was great to see him and family happy today.
Not just his brothers, but fellow wrestlers amd industry people. There's not a lot still standing from his days and few of those died of natural causes after a long life and happy pain-free retirement.
The eeriest part of Kerry's death is the fact before he took his own life, he said he could hear the voices of his brothers calling to him from the grave to join them. 😕
I seen an interview with his daughter, Hollie and she said he was seeing spiders crawling on him and hearing voices. She said he was really heavy into drugs like meth and crack besides the pain meds as well. She also said he was very abusive towards his wife. I wonder where he got that from? His dad I'm sure.
His dad pulled out a gun on Kevin and said you don't have the guts to kill yourself like your brothers did. It was the same gun that Kerry killed himself with. I truly believe that he was abusive towards his boy's and even Doris. Such a shame that they're all gone besides Kevin. Kevin said he went into a gun shop and stole a gun and wanted people to see him, the guy said too him when Kevin was walking out Kev i love you. He continued to walk out and went to his car and sat for a few minutes then went back into the shop and gave the gun back and then they all prayed for him.
@@lisafoos8976 You can be emotionally abusive to your kids. Just cause you don't put your hands on them, doesn't mean you don't abuse or neglect them.
@@kennythetrend3688I agree. Emotional and verbal abuse is as if not more damaging than any physical abuse. Fritz, a narcissist desire for fame, greed and power, was a monster to his sons.
Kevin once admitted in an interview that he never set out to wrestle barefoot, but that before one of his matches someone hid his boots as a joke, and he wasn't able to find them before his match, so just went out barefoot to wrestle, and it later became his trademark.
The pain Kevin has been through is unimaginable but please spare a thought for the Mother Doris who lost her first born son Jack jr when he was 6 years old then lost 4 of her 5 children 3 to suicide I hope she now has peace ❤
Kevin was only 2 years old when Jack Jr. passed on. He said, in an interview, that he only has a few fuzzy memories of the two of them redeeming popsicle sticks at the store in exchange for bubble gum. 😥
@@steadydropnem Yeah he did but he also left behind a "FU Dad" note before he did it. A note that Bill Irwin ripped up and flushed down the toilet before the police got there.
Such a heart breaking story. The Von Erichs that wanted to be stars but their bodies couldn't keep up, the Von Erichs that didn't want to be wrestlers but were forced to do so, the Von Erichs that felt trapped in an industry that chewed them up and spat them out. My heart breaks for Kevin, his entire family gave their lives to the wrestling business. And he recollects on all of that trauma by himself, because the only ones that could truly understand what he is going through is his family, yet he's the family's sole survivor.
I remain involved with a now 51 year old mother of five. She would have seven kids total, yet 2 aborted. She has been a heroin addictive since her early 20s, yet each of her five sons turned out well, thank God. Still, the psychological effects each hold is clear, THEIR mother now a thin rail and yet still her own person, each son in his own way, holds inner resented feelings of emotions. Oldest now age 31, nonchalant, was the next age 26 anger, and then age 20, detached, with 18 year old no clue on directive and youngest age 12, full devotion, yet a ware. So your phrase, yes, the damage one person can do...life of this world, not to be taken overly serious, as in my view, to each individual, a choice. The von Erichs, they having a parental dad who was over bearing, each son, in my view, unable to make a stand to forge own direction. David, he broke free, yet his demise, drugs, and Kerry and Mike, suicide, with Chris, who may have fair better as a booker, deceased. What went untreated, Jack jr having died so young, parents did not have the public counsel now so available. Kevin, sole original left, if not for his spiritual faith......
As time marches on we All eventually loose our siblings, one by one - or else they loose us. But Kevin lived in modern times, so it's incredibly rare for one to loose their families when so young. In the Middle Ages an illness could pass through our family and our closest village, and within 72 - 96 hours 90% of humans in the area would have perished to illness. Suddenly finding ourselves completely alone in the world was more typical than rare, and that staggering reality was something that we shared w/ other survivors, perhaps...enabling us to feel slightly less alone in the world? (Poor Kevin was born 500 years too late, I guess.)
That line : 'I used to have 5 brothers and now I am not even a brother'. Gets to me the most as a lifelong wrestling fan of over 25 years. Although I never saw the Von Eric's performing but I did have a lot of dvds and VHS of them back in the day
Out of all the Von Erichs, it’s Chris that I feel sorry for the most. Looks like he was the only one out of the brothers that really wanted to become a wrestler and follow in his father’s footsteps. Sad that his frail body couldn’t handle any bumps.
David, Kevin, and Kerry wanted to be wrestlers, too, after they had a taste of being in the ring. Just because they wanted to be sports stars, does not mean they can't have another dream, too. Kids want to be astronauts, doesn't mean they will become one later on.
David was constantly trying to improve from what I understood from this video. He wrestled on different promotions early, when he fought with his father he again went on the road and then he was in Japan to further his all around skills. I mean you don't do that if you don't love wrestling
Neither Chris nor Mike had any business being in the ring, Chris with his brittle bones and Mike had no desire to do it, was basically forced in by Fritz. I feel awful for both of them, and it shows the character of Fritz, ergo, he had none.
Within the midst of tragedy that befell The Von Erich Family thanks to a controlling Patriarch, it's nice to see that Kerry and Kevin's kids are doing great within their own rights. Still, Kevin man...the fact that he didn't go down the route of drugs and alcohol as a method of coping, says alot about how strong he is mentally and physically.
Yep and on the Dark Side of the Ring episode about the Von Erich family Kevin stated that it was only due to his faith, and wife that he was able to not go down the route of drugs and alcohol to cope with the tragedies that were happening to his family and that without his faith, and loving wife then he might have possibly went down the route Kerry sadly took.
I think, he himself said that the difference btw him and his brother wasnt "strength" but love and support from others, his wife, if I remember correctly.
This might very well be one of, if not, the best videos I’ve seen. Wrestling or otherwise. The amount of detail and research you all put into this is second to none. Thank you, to everyone at Cultaholic, for all you do!!
I lived through this whole tragedy, I was broken into wrestling at age 10, becoming a fan of the Von Erich boys, but especially David and Kevin. The day David died, the whole city of Dallas basically shut down. It was all over the local news and papers, the fans were shocked, stunned and deeply in mourning. I was even at the first David Von Erich Memorial in the now defunct Texas Stadium. As a fan, I will never quite forgive Fritz for basically forcing Mike and Chris into wrestling. Those boys weren't cut out for it, and they didn't wanna disappoint Fritz. 😭😭
Get your Facts straight Chris was never Forced into Wrestling . In fact it's quite the opposite. He wanted to be a Wrestler but couldn't and killed himself over because he was Depressed 😔 over not being able to be a Wrestler and Was Depressed over Mike . And As far as Mike . You weren't there at the Von Erich house 🏠🏡 to Know what was Forced on him .
Fantastic work on this. The Von Erich story is heartbreaking, but I really hope that Ross and Marshall have a great run in the business and are happy and healthy.
Mike Von Erich should have been allowed to continue as a cameraman. He knew full-well that he wasn't cut out to be a pro wrestler. Being pressured into wrestling definitely cost him his life.
As a small kid growing up in Texas in the 80s, I thought World Class was the only wrestling company and represented the whole world. Kerry was a living legend.
Want a cute story about them? My uncle sold party favors to wrestlers when they were here for shows and always took me to the matches so I could meet them since I was a huge fan. One night I stayed the night with him and my aunt afterwards. I got up to go to the bathroom and heard people talking, so went to the front room to see what was going on. I walk in and there's Kerry, P.S., Gordy and Buddy along with my uncle. I said something like "kerry, watch out." And to keep up kayfabe to the 7 year old me, the Freebirds started "attacking" Kerry and my uncle rushed me out of the room. As a kid I was scared to death but later I realized how awesome the four of them were for doing that. Saw Gordy at ab indie show a few years before he passed and introduced myself and he remembered it and me! I thanked him for that 2 minutes of my life that made me a fan of the sport for life and was going to take my leave when he stopped me and asked if I'd like a beer. We talked for about an hour and in the thing that made me happiest, I got him in touch with my (no longer selling or using anything) uncle.
I'm from the midwest, but since world class aired on TV in the entire country it was odd knowing they were just a single choice out of many that mid-westerners had.
@@RowdyRodimus He sold party favors to wrestlers? What kind do you mean -- like hats and stuff? Were there a lot of wrestlers eager for those? I promise I'm not trying to be a smart alec, I'm just confused by why wrestlers would be collecting party favors.
This family is the very reason I got into watching wrestling. It’s sad how things turned out in the end. It still breaks my heart to this day. Thank you for all of your hard work. There’s a lot of this that I didn’t know about.
@MR421NOW how am I supposed to do that? I was born in Texas and grew up around the Lake Dallas area. I walked the same high school walls that they had. I watched the David Von Erich Texas memorial event. I'm 47 if that happens to mean anything. So I know how I felt then and feel now.
man sometime I feel so bad for Kevin. He’s lost almost everybody in his life. Brothers, father, mother. This is the greatest tragedy in wrestling history. Sometime it doesn’t even seem real.
This is nothing short of a Greek tragedy. The family went too close to the sun. With the movie coming this year I can’t wait to see how they’ll portray the family and their events.
According to the pre-screening reviews The Iron Claw is actually a good movie and does a decent job of portraying the Von Erich family's lives both in and out of the ring.
I watched it this past weekend, and yeah, it was. I bawled. It's a wonderful movie, someone deserves an award for it, and I never want to see it again.
My dad always use to tell me stories about the Von Erichs and the famous Claw. My dad loved the Von Erichs. I lost my dad in 2009. After watching and reading many docs about the family. The story is truly one of the most tragic in wrestling. But the Von Erich name continues on with Kevin's kids, and Kerry's daughter. I feel so bad for Kevin. Watching Dark side of the ring.. You can see how troubled he is when he tells the story of his family.
Excellent video, Ross! I remember when World Class first came on my tv in the 80s. It was the first show where it wasn’t just stars vs jobbers, entrance music, up close camera angles, it was amazing! Beat the crap out of our local AWA in Minnesota. The shriek of the girls whenever the Von Erich music hit was insane!
To me as a kid growing up in the 90’s, the stories of the Von Erich’s and World Class were like ancient history as my Dad would tell me about them as I was watching WCW and WWE for the first time. Compelling and heartbreaking.
Just watched the Iron Claw movie and my god was it so depressing. What a rough life he had. Truly inspiring to see him pull his way out of all the terrible things he went through.
I can’t remember the last time I felt this much sorrow, respect, admiration, and ultimately happiness all wrapped up for one person I didn’t know and had never met. Kevin is a walking manifestation of mental and emotional strength and courage. I’m glad you’ve found contentment in your life.
What I still find crazy is that the Von Erichs were so big they were on national commercials despite wrestling being very much still about territories. They were THAT big, that national exposure despite the majority of them basically worked almost exclusively out of Dallas wasn't questioned at all.
Darkside of the ring states that David was vomiting before he left for Japan, indicating that he was sick. I got the impression that it was his father pressured him to go to Japan, and not cancel as it seems he wanted to; so not to miss the show and payday. So I don’t believe there was any drugs involved, but I do believe that if he had been allowed to miss that trip, he might still be alive.
David's death was the domino that put all this tragedy in motion. If David lived and went on to become NWA World Champion, Mike is under absolutely no pressure to be a main event guy and more importantly isn't drawing those forced comparisons to David in storyline. Without that pressure Mike can just go about his career at a slow pace & not the break neck speed he did following the death of David. He probably never gets injured, never needs surgery & the toxic shock nightmare doesn't happen. If Mike is alive, little Chris still has his closest brother and emotional rock. If he has that stability then the failure his wrestling career was always going to be with his brittle bones would've been easier on him with Mike around and while disappointing he doesn't end his life. Kerry probably doesn't look at suicide as a way out of his drug and legal problems had he not seen both Mike and Chris take their own lives. I mean if you read up on this case it's not like Kerry was lookin at life in prison or any major jail time. If his entire family is intact in 1993 and he still finds his way to those issues I highly doubt he takes suicide as a way out. David dying was the moment that set it all in motion and what's really sad is how avoidable David's death really was. He was 25 years, his condition was by no means terminal if diagnosed early. David had been to a doctor before leaving on his tour because he wasn't feeling well with diarrhea being one of his symptoms. The doctor wanted to examine him by placing him in stirrups usually used for women getting gynecological exams and he vehemently objected to that kind of examination and stormed out of the office. Very mature. Well because of that they never got to see the infection of his intestines and it was put off way too long and they exploded filling his body up with blood and causing heart failure while he was in Japan. Just think, had he just let that doctor do his job, not only him but possibly his 3 younger brothers would be alive today too.
@@night6724 no he really didn't. He didn't hate the idea & he did get some enjoyment out of it but he was more forced into the ring because of his last name than he had a burning desire to get into the ring. Even Kevin said Mike had greater interests like art & music over wrestling. Chris was the one who wanted it badly but physically couldn't
@@arlopear7136 yeah that’s untrue. Plenty of other interviews said that Chris was always interested in wrestling and regretted not training sooner. When David died it was him to suggested to his family he try to get in the ring
@@night6724 I was talking about Mike not Chris. I clearly said Chris wanted to be a wrestler. And Mike began wrestling while David was still alive so I don't where you get your sources from but they're dead ass wrong 😂
I just seen The Iron Claw and found this doc on TH-cam and mannnne let me say it’s so heartbreaking what happened to this family RIP all the fallen brothers
Watched them every Saturday night growing up for years === absolutely loved them all. I am still heartbroken for their losses. Cannot imagine the depth of that loss in one family or that pain. I appreciate all the good times they brought to so many
I loved the Texas Tornado in the WWF when i was a kid had no idea why he disappeared. Only learned a few years ago when i got back into the sport he was Kerry and about his famous wrestling family and some of the many problems. R.I.P Von Erichs.
I loved watching Kevin wrestle, and I always though Kevin was the best-looking brother, even though I've always been more of a Hart fan as far as wrestling families go. I was just a little 8-year-old girl, back in 1966 when I started watching it with my grandparents, I lived with them and every time they were in San Diego, we would go to the Colosseum and watch them, but every Wednesday night at 8:00 we were in front of the TV. I'm 65 and I still watch it.
I just watched this after the commercial of the movie. I hope it does them justice. I have 2 brothers and we're not very close. But this makes me want to be close. The line, "i used to have 5 brothers. Now I'm not even a brother" got me. Like damn!
Thanks Cultaholic for putting another documentary together for us. Although we all love your silly bollocks and bantz, your serious projects are always so well presented and passionate.
Apart from a slight stiltedness from the autocue read (I think that's what it is anyway), this should be the perfect thing for filling people in about the story who may be coming to it new when the Von Erich biopic comes near to release. Good work Ross (and anyone else who worked on this).
Just finished watching the new "Iron Claw" movie and this helped fill in some gaps and explain correct some of the artistic liberties of the film. The Von Erichs were my father's idols when he was young and now the film and this documentary have allowed me to share that part of his life with him. Thank you, Ross.
It's been said by many that the death of David Von Erich was the beginning of the end for World Class Championship Wrestling, it is difficult not to concur with that statement. The promotion couldn't cope with a loss like that. He was like Magnum T.A. but even better.
Ross did great with this, Chicago Illinois rocks with this content 😎 0:16 Those photos of the Von Erichs are so great and the way you merged the photos together, Cultaholic, you all are great.
I really, really, really want to see the Von Erichs currently wrestling do well in the business. They were such an influential family helmed by some seriously talented names, marred by tragedy.
@@RowdyRodimus How do you know how he Treated them were you there. I mean you get this from other Wrestlers that give you different versions of how David and Mike Died
I remember as a kid in the 80s watching World Class Wrestling with my grandmother every weekend. We never missed a show. My grandmother and my family loved wrestling in Texas. It just brings back memories.
A truly heartbreaking and complex story that I witnessed growing up as a wrestling fan since 85 . This upcoming movie I hope portrays it right , MJF as Lance will be interesting .
I used to watch WCCW all the time in the 80's on ESPN. To me growing up they had more TV shows than WWF. The WWF was still the Big dog though. The Von Erichs were IT. They were super stars. It was sad seeing them drop off like that. Great video.
It’s a shame what happened to the Von Erichs, because they would have had great runs any place. Such a tragedy. But on the plus side, Kevin is a survivor and deserves all the good things in life.
true story, i’m a limo driver and drove him to the airport from texas. got to spend an hour talking with him, one of the nicest people i have ever met driving, super sweet to me and everyone in his family/staff. he does deserve the best
I was born and raised in the D-FW area, and as cool as it was to see the VE brothers and WccW take off the way it did, it hurt a lot more to see those boys, and the promotion die off the way they did! Some of the best memories I had growing up were Friday nights at the Sportatorium in Dallas, and Monday nights at WILL Rodgers Coliseum in Ft. Worth! I'm really happy to know Kevin is doing well these days, and I'm really looking forward to seeing the movie I've heard about that's coming out about the family, I just hope it's done the right way and done with respect for the family! RIP to Fritz, Doris, Kerry, Dave, Mike, and Chris! 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
I watched the Triumph and Tragedy of WCCW by WWE. I grew up with WCCW. It reminds me of how naive I was to the business at 8 years old. The shock of Gino Hernandez. The joy of Kerry winning the NWA title. The sadness of David. Their surname should have been in the same stratosphere as Hart, Orton, the Samoans, and Flair. Congratulations to Kevin's sons for carrying it on. I never knew about the religious aspect to this story. I didn't realize just how controlling Fritz was. I didn't know Doris divorced Fritz. I can't imagine what Kevin lives with every day. I hope that family has a modicum of peace.
Two months after losing David, Kerry is main eventing for David’s championship belt. Fritz was a classic politician, never let a good crisis go to waste
Their dad looked like he was a little emotionally disturbed. You'd have to be a little screwed up mentally to do what he did. Those guys didn't have a father-- they had a boss. I can see why so many of them turned to drugs and worse.
I miss them all so much 😢 Kerry was a big kid.He was always fun and could make everyone laugh. I cherish the memories I have with my wrestling family of the Von Erichs Skandar Akbar,Chris Adams&many others.
Excellent job Ross and all who worked on this. I think I first heard about the Von Erichs from Power Slam magazine when someone asked about them in the Q & A section and that is when I first learned about the deaths of all but one (Kevin) then I watched the Rise and Fall of WCCW doc that WWE put out in 2007. It is such a tragic story.
That story of the Von Erich girls waiting at school for their Father to pick them up (Kerry) as he was found dead by Fritz after shooting himself, that’s rough. Kerry could of had the ultimate redemption journey if he had served his time and gotten clean. It was all too much for him to face.
I just saw the movie..omg..i am heart-broken!! What a toxic father. Thank you dad for letting me choose what to be in life and not pressuring me. PS:Zac Efron had an amazing performance in the movie!
God damn 20:45 the background music 🎵,the sadness 😢, its almost 🤕 just too much, the crowd keeps falling, "the ghoulishness". Chicago Illinois rocks with this content 😎
So everything went downhill when David passed away in Japan. He was the catalyst, ringleader, and bonafide wrestling guy. I looked up placidyl, pretty basic stuff. Most healthy 25 year old men don't die from a night of drinking and a few sleeping pills. Anyway, RIP guys. I was a huge fan of y'all in my youth.
They will always be the number one family of wrestling to me. I still watch videos of Kerry he was great and I miss him He crosses my mind off and on WCCW forever
The Von Erich family curse was not a curse but rather the tragic fact that to Fritz his boys were wrestlers first and sons second, if the those priorities were reversed, it's likely Kevin would be a brother today
Sidenote: if you adjust the $1500 they were getting paid in Japan for inflation they weren't just getting paid close to three times what Mick Foley got paid for his death match tours, they were getting paid like four times what Cactus got paid for his death match tours. And that was after their father stole 40%
Mike was forced and pushed so hard that he never even had a choice to live. Thats sad as fuck. Chris' story really breaks my heart as well. But, I've watched the Dark Side of The Ring on the Von Erich dynasty, and eerily, Kerry, before he died, supposedly could hear his brothers voices in his head telling him to kill his self. Believed to have had ptsd and schizophrenia from the trauma and drugs. All I do know is Fritz was a terrible, corrupt, disgusting human being.
back in the 80s as a kid and into my early teens i had no idea about any of the stuff going on and Kerry was easily my all time favorite wrestler. when i got older and learned about all this stuff it is rather over whelming, and the way Kerry just sort of faded out when he had so many gifts. i remember Kerry and Kevin in matches pretty often as well as "Lance" but i dont think i ever got to see any of the other brothers even compete. it really is amazing how much bad parents can mess us up.
Imagine how much pain Kevin Von Erich has gone through, losing all his younger brothers. The biggest tragedy in Wrestling History
Yea for real and even losing his older brother! Can't imagine losing every single one of em! More power to him 🙏🏾
Like Kevin said shortly after Kerry killed himself, "All my life I've been a big brother and now I'm not even a brother."
That for me was the saving grace of the Dark Side episode - to see Kevin now has an almost Paradise-like homelife, even if he does have to carry all of his with him. Was great to see him and family happy today.
Not just his brothers, but fellow wrestlers amd industry people. There's not a lot still standing from his days and few of those died of natural causes after a long life and happy pain-free retirement.
I don't want too imagine his pain i bet most would hide in a hole and speak to no one ever again if the whent through a 1/4 of what he,s suffered
The eeriest part of Kerry's death is the fact before he took his own life, he said he could hear the voices of his brothers calling to him from the grave to join them. 😕
I seen an interview with his daughter, Hollie and she said he was seeing spiders crawling on him and hearing voices. She said he was really heavy into drugs like meth and crack besides the pain meds as well. She also said he was very abusive towards his wife. I wonder where he got that from? His dad I'm sure.
The abuse can from the drugs. The daughter said he got abusive later in the marriage after he got into drugs heavy.
Drugs
@@kascerichter342no excuse
@@HDDeem Your right there is no excuse, but most of the time drugs turns people into something they are not.
The way fritz trivialized the deaths of his sons by using them in storylines is another level of callous disrespect.
His dad pulled out a gun on Kevin and said you don't have the guts to kill yourself like your brothers did. It was the same gun that Kerry killed himself with. I truly believe that he was abusive towards his boy's and even Doris. Such a shame that they're all gone besides Kevin.
Kevin said he went into a gun shop and stole a gun and wanted people to see him, the guy said too him when Kevin was walking out
Kev i love you. He continued to walk out and went to his car and sat for a few minutes then went back into the shop and gave the gun back and then they all prayed for him.
I never knew that about Kevin. Thanks for telling that story it's amazing.
@@lisafoos8976yeah this guy literally just skipped a whole cancer issue. Even Kevin didn’t blame him for it.
@@lisafoos8976he wasn't abusive because it wasn't physical? Wow. Just wow.
@@lisafoos8976 You can be emotionally abusive to your kids. Just cause you don't put your hands on them, doesn't mean you don't abuse or neglect them.
@@kennythetrend3688I agree. Emotional and verbal abuse is as if not more damaging than any physical abuse. Fritz, a narcissist desire for fame, greed and power, was a monster to his sons.
Kevin once admitted in an interview that he never set out to wrestle barefoot, but that before one of his matches someone hid his boots as a joke, and he wasn't able to find them before his match, so just went out barefoot to wrestle, and it later became his trademark.
no he said in a interview that its was because of his knees and his boots would get wet and heavy. he also said kerry used to do it also
The pain Kevin has been through is unimaginable but please spare a thought for the Mother Doris who lost her first born son Jack jr when he was 6 years old then lost 4 of her 5 children 3 to suicide I hope she now has peace ❤
Kevin was only 2 years old when Jack Jr. passed on.
He said, in an interview, that he only has a few fuzzy memories of the two of them redeeming popsicle sticks at the store in exchange for bubble gum.
😥
Actually the 4th one David suicided himself as well.
@@lordkain9529David died due to drugs I’m pretty sure
@@steadydropnem Yeah he did but he also left behind a "FU Dad" note before he did it. A note that Bill Irwin ripped up and flushed down the toilet before the police got there.
She's Dead you know so one can only hope she is up there with her Children
Such a heart breaking story. The Von Erichs that wanted to be stars but their bodies couldn't keep up, the Von Erichs that didn't want to be wrestlers but were forced to do so, the Von Erichs that felt trapped in an industry that chewed them up and spat them out.
My heart breaks for Kevin, his entire family gave their lives to the wrestling business. And he recollects on all of that trauma by himself, because the only ones that could truly understand what he is going through is his family, yet he's the family's sole survivor.
Bullshit no one forced anything on them
Yeah I feel bad for Kevin
According to Iron Claw Mike wanted to be a musician but nope he got forced by Fritz if I'm remembering correctly
One of the saddest wrestling stories there will ever be. My heart goes out to Kevin. The last of his brothers.
the comment that always got me was when he said "i used to have 5 brothers, not im not even a brother"
it's astounding how much damage one person can cause, great video Ross.
I remain involved with a now 51 year old mother of five. She would have seven kids total, yet 2 aborted. She has been a heroin addictive since her early 20s, yet each of her five sons turned out well, thank God. Still, the psychological effects each hold is clear, THEIR mother now a thin rail and yet still her own person, each son in his own way, holds inner resented feelings of emotions. Oldest now age 31, nonchalant, was the next age 26 anger, and then age 20, detached, with 18 year old no clue on directive and youngest age 12, full devotion, yet a ware. So your phrase, yes, the damage one person can do...life of this world, not to be taken overly serious, as in my view, to each individual, a choice. The von Erichs, they having a parental dad who was over bearing, each son, in my view, unable to make a stand to forge own direction. David, he broke free, yet his demise, drugs, and Kerry and Mike, suicide, with Chris, who may have fair better as a booker, deceased. What went untreated, Jack jr having died so young, parents did not have the public counsel now so available. Kevin, sole original left, if not for his spiritual faith......
This is typical of a narcissist parent.
And take.
Sacrifice
That quote from Kevin still gives me chills anytime I hear it.. I already lost a sibling I couldn’t imagine losing all of them
As time marches on we All eventually loose our siblings, one by one - or else they loose us. But Kevin lived in modern times, so it's incredibly rare for one to loose their families when so young. In the Middle Ages an illness could pass through our family and our closest village, and within 72 - 96 hours 90% of humans in the area would have perished to illness. Suddenly finding ourselves completely alone in the world was more typical than rare, and that staggering reality was something that we shared w/ other survivors, perhaps...enabling us to feel slightly less alone in the world? (Poor Kevin was born 500 years too late, I guess.)
That line : 'I used to have 5 brothers and now I am not even a brother'. Gets to me the most as a lifelong wrestling fan of over 25 years. Although I never saw the Von Eric's performing but I did have a lot of dvds and VHS of them back in the day
when i watch that scene i was crying non stop.
If you have peacock you can watch World class and see their matches and feuds. It’s incredible
Out of all the Von Erichs, it’s Chris that I feel sorry for the most. Looks like he was the only one out of the brothers that really wanted to become a wrestler and follow in his father’s footsteps. Sad that his frail body couldn’t handle any bumps.
David, Kevin, and Kerry wanted to be wrestlers, too, after they had a taste of being in the ring. Just because they wanted to be sports stars, does not mean they can't have another dream, too. Kids want to be astronauts, doesn't mean they will become one later on.
David was constantly trying to improve from what I understood from this video. He wrestled on different promotions early, when he fought with his father he again went on the road and then he was in Japan to further his all around skills.
I mean you don't do that if you don't love wrestling
Kerry seemed the real superstar
Neither Chris nor Mike had any business being in the ring, Chris with his brittle bones and Mike had no desire to do it, was basically forced in by Fritz. I feel awful for both of them, and it shows the character of Fritz, ergo, he had none.
It’s heartbreaking all around, even for Vaughn. He was promised the moon only to be used
Within the midst of tragedy that befell The Von Erich Family thanks to a controlling Patriarch, it's nice to see that Kerry and Kevin's kids are doing great within their own rights. Still, Kevin man...the fact that he didn't go down the route of drugs and alcohol as a method of coping, says alot about how strong he is mentally and physically.
Yep and on the Dark Side of the Ring episode about the Von Erich family Kevin stated that it was only due to his faith, and wife that he was able to not go down the route of drugs and alcohol to cope with the tragedies that were happening to his family and that without his faith, and loving wife then he might have possibly went down the route Kerry sadly took.
I think, he himself said that the difference btw him and his brother wasnt "strength" but love and support from others, his wife, if I remember correctly.
This might very well be one of, if not, the best videos I’ve seen. Wrestling or otherwise. The amount of detail and research you all put into this is second to none. Thank you, to everyone at Cultaholic, for all you do!!
Definitely, Cultaholic always do a primo job with these for sure! 👍🏾👍🏾
Absolutely
I lived through this whole tragedy, I was broken into wrestling at age 10, becoming a fan of the Von Erich boys, but especially David and Kevin. The day David died, the whole city of Dallas basically shut down. It was all over the local news and papers, the fans were shocked, stunned and deeply in mourning. I was even at the first David Von Erich Memorial in the now defunct Texas Stadium. As a fan, I will never quite forgive Fritz for basically forcing Mike and Chris into wrestling. Those boys weren't cut out for it, and they didn't wanna disappoint Fritz. 😭😭
Get your Facts straight Chris was never Forced into Wrestling . In fact it's quite the opposite. He wanted to be a Wrestler but couldn't and killed himself over because he was Depressed 😔 over not being able to be a Wrestler and Was Depressed over Mike . And As far as Mike . You weren't there at the Von Erich house 🏠🏡 to Know what was Forced on him .
Fantastic work on this. The Von Erich story is heartbreaking, but I really hope that Ross and Marshall have a great run in the business and are happy and healthy.
Sad.😢
Mike Von Erich should have been allowed to continue as a cameraman. He knew full-well that he wasn't cut out to be a pro wrestler. Being pressured into wrestling definitely cost him his life.
As a small kid growing up in Texas in the 80s, I thought World Class was the only wrestling company and represented the whole world. Kerry was a living legend.
Want a cute story about them? My uncle sold party favors to wrestlers when they were here for shows and always took me to the matches so I could meet them since I was a huge fan. One night I stayed the night with him and my aunt afterwards. I got up to go to the bathroom and heard people talking, so went to the front room to see what was going on. I walk in and there's Kerry, P.S., Gordy and Buddy along with my uncle. I said something like "kerry, watch out." And to keep up kayfabe to the 7 year old me, the Freebirds started "attacking" Kerry and my uncle rushed me out of the room. As a kid I was scared to death but later I realized how awesome the four of them were for doing that. Saw Gordy at ab indie show a few years before he passed and introduced myself and he remembered it and me! I thanked him for that 2 minutes of my life that made me a fan of the sport for life and was going to take my leave when he stopped me and asked if I'd like a beer. We talked for about an hour and in the thing that made me happiest, I got him in touch with my (no longer selling or using anything) uncle.
@@RowdyRodimus That is indeed a cute story, thank you very much for sharing it !
I'm from the midwest, but since world class aired on TV in the entire country it was odd knowing they were just a single choice out of many that mid-westerners had.
@@RowdyRodimus He sold party favors to wrestlers? What kind do you mean -- like hats and stuff? Were there a lot of wrestlers eager for those? I promise I'm not trying to be a smart alec, I'm just confused by why wrestlers would be collecting party favors.
@@speedgriffon2504 Lol No, no hats. He sold recreational stimulants used to enhance the moods of the guys.
This family is the very reason I got into watching wrestling. It’s sad how things turned out in the end. It still breaks my heart to this day.
Thank you for all of your hard work. There’s a lot of this that I didn’t know about.
Prove it!
@@MR421NOW prove what?
@@sheliamonette539 that thanks to this family is the very reason you got watching wrestling and how it still breaks your heart to this day.
@MR421NOW how am I supposed to do that? I was born in Texas and grew up around the Lake Dallas area. I walked the same high school walls that they had. I watched the David Von Erich Texas memorial event. I'm 47 if that happens to mean anything. So I know how I felt then and feel now.
@@wrestlinginmyblood thank you. I kinda figured he might be a troll. Seems to be quite a few of them.
man sometime I feel so bad for Kevin. He’s lost almost everybody in his life. Brothers, father, mother. This is the greatest tragedy in wrestling history. Sometime it doesn’t even seem real.
That's because it's not. Wrestling is fake.
I kid. I kid.🤟
This is nothing short of a Greek tragedy. The family went too close to the sun. With the movie coming this year I can’t wait to see how they’ll portray the family and their events.
According to the pre-screening reviews The Iron Claw is actually a good movie and does a decent job of portraying the Von Erich family's lives both in and out of the ring.
Yes, the film was emotional, tragic but also feel good by the end
The Iron Claw film is gonna be like, one of the most depressing films ever.
Depends though if they will take liberties on it. But yes it will be tearjerker!
@@royshaheer I mean, why would you make a movie about the Von Erichs unless you wanted to make a film about absolute tragedy?
I watched it this past weekend, and yeah, it was. I bawled. It's a wonderful movie, someone deserves an award for it, and I never want to see it again.
@@royshaheerapparently they took some liberties and it was still sad af. I’m about to watch it now after watching dark side of the ring
anybody else here from the Iron Claw trailer?
Yes! lol ;) Hello!
Yep😂
It’s Me!!!! ✌🏼✌🏼✌🏼
Yes
Just saw the movie
My dad always use to tell me stories about the Von Erichs and the famous Claw. My dad loved the Von Erichs. I lost my dad in 2009. After watching and reading many docs about the family. The story is truly one of the most tragic in wrestling. But the Von Erich name continues on with Kevin's kids, and Kerry's daughter. I feel so bad for Kevin. Watching Dark side of the ring.. You can see how troubled he is when he tells the story of his family.
Excellent video, Ross! I remember when World Class first came on my tv in the 80s. It was the first show where it wasn’t just stars vs jobbers, entrance music, up close camera angles, it was amazing! Beat the crap out of our local AWA in Minnesota. The shriek of the girls whenever the Von Erich music hit was insane!
To me as a kid growing up in the 90’s, the stories of the Von Erich’s and World Class were like ancient history as my Dad would tell me about them as I was watching WCW and WWE for the first time.
Compelling and heartbreaking.
Von eric wrestling in wwe in the early 90’s Texas tornado
This whole tragic chain of events makes my heart feel so heavy everytime. I couldn't imagine the pain that Kevin and Doris have felt.
Cultaholic does a great job with these series. Their in-depth videos about any subject are my favorite
Poor Chris
I've always compared the Von Erichs to be wrestling's version of the Kennedy family in US politics, very cursed and lots of tragedy.
EXACTLY!!!
Just watched the Iron Claw movie and my god was it so depressing. What a rough life he had. Truly inspiring to see him pull his way out of all the terrible things he went through.
I can’t remember the last time I felt this much sorrow, respect, admiration, and ultimately happiness all wrapped up for one person I didn’t know and had never met. Kevin is a walking manifestation of mental and emotional strength and courage. I’m glad you’ve found contentment in your life.
What a retrospective. I was a kid in the 80s. The Von Erich’s were rock stars. It’s a heartbreaking quote from Kevin about not being a brother.
What I still find crazy is that the Von Erichs were so big they were on national commercials despite wrestling being very much still about territories. They were THAT big, that national exposure despite the majority of them basically worked almost exclusively out of Dallas wasn't questioned at all.
All American boys, that's all it was
That is insane , I’m glad they made a film on this because I would have never known of their story! A Legendary Tragedy!
Darkside of the ring states that David was vomiting before he left for Japan, indicating that he was sick. I got the impression that it was his father pressured him to go to Japan, and not cancel as it seems he wanted to; so not to miss the show and payday. So I don’t believe there was any drugs involved, but I do believe that if he had been allowed to miss that trip, he might still be alive.
David's death was the domino that put all this tragedy in motion. If David lived and went on to become NWA World Champion, Mike is under absolutely no pressure to be a main event guy and more importantly isn't drawing those forced comparisons to David in storyline. Without that pressure Mike can just go about his career at a slow pace & not the break neck speed he did following the death of David. He probably never gets injured, never needs surgery & the toxic shock nightmare doesn't happen. If Mike is alive, little Chris still has his closest brother and emotional rock. If he has that stability then the failure his wrestling career was always going to be with his brittle bones would've been easier on him with Mike around and while disappointing he doesn't end his life. Kerry probably doesn't look at suicide as a way out of his drug and legal problems had he not seen both Mike and Chris take their own lives. I mean if you read up on this case it's not like Kerry was lookin at life in prison or any major jail time. If his entire family is intact in 1993 and he still finds his way to those issues I highly doubt he takes suicide as a way out. David dying was the moment that set it all in motion and what's really sad is how avoidable David's death really was. He was 25 years, his condition was by no means terminal if diagnosed early. David had been to a doctor before leaving on his tour because he wasn't feeling well with diarrhea being one of his symptoms. The doctor wanted to examine him by placing him in stirrups usually used for women getting gynecological exams and he vehemently objected to that kind of examination and stormed out of the office. Very mature. Well because of that they never got to see the infection of his intestines and it was put off way too long and they exploded filling his body up with blood and causing heart failure while he was in Japan. Just think, had he just let that doctor do his job, not only him but possibly his 3 younger brothers would be alive today too.
To think, if they got him treated and he didn't die. Lot would have been avoided
The good endings 😢
Mike wanted to wrestle tho
@@night6724 no he really didn't. He didn't hate the idea & he did get some enjoyment out of it but he was more forced into the ring because of his last name than he had a burning desire to get into the ring. Even Kevin said Mike had greater interests like art & music over wrestling. Chris was the one who wanted it badly but physically couldn't
@@arlopear7136 yeah that’s untrue. Plenty of other interviews said that Chris was always interested in wrestling and regretted not training sooner. When David died it was him to suggested to his family he try to get in the ring
@@night6724 I was talking about Mike not Chris. I clearly said Chris wanted to be a wrestler. And Mike began wrestling while David was still alive so I don't where you get your sources from but they're dead ass wrong 😂
One of the darkest stories in wrestling and so so tragic.....rest in peace to all the von erichs who sadly passed so so young
I just seen The Iron Claw and found this doc on TH-cam and mannnne let me say it’s so heartbreaking what happened to this family RIP all the fallen brothers
Another fantastic documentary by cultaholic
If you talk about the Von Erichs in Dallas older people get tear eyed, I’ve seen it. It’s a deep hurt most people couldn’t comprehend
Watched them every Saturday night growing up for years === absolutely loved them all. I am still heartbroken for their losses. Cannot imagine the depth of that loss in one family or that pain. I appreciate all the good times they brought to so many
I loved the Texas Tornado in the WWF when i was a kid had no idea why he disappeared. Only learned a few years ago when i got back into the sport he was Kerry and about his famous wrestling family and some of the many problems. R.I.P Von Erichs.
I loved watching Kevin wrestle, and I always though Kevin was the best-looking brother, even though I've always been more of a Hart fan as far as wrestling families go. I was just a little 8-year-old girl, back in 1966 when I started watching it with my grandparents, I lived with them and every time they were in San Diego, we would go to the Colosseum and watch them, but every Wednesday night at 8:00 we were in front of the TV. I'm 65 and I still watch it.
This is the best work Ross and the team have ever done.
I just watched this after the commercial of the movie. I hope it does them justice. I have 2 brothers and we're not very close. But this makes me want to be close. The line, "i used to have 5 brothers. Now I'm not even a brother" got me. Like damn!
Thanks Cultaholic for putting another documentary together for us. Although we all love your silly bollocks and bantz, your serious projects are always so well presented and passionate.
The yellow rose of Texas is such a badass nickname. So is the Texas tornado. Love those names.
Apart from a slight stiltedness from the autocue read (I think that's what it is anyway), this should be the perfect thing for filling people in about the story who may be coming to it new when the Von Erich biopic comes near to release. Good work Ross (and anyone else who worked on this).
They were one of the great wrestling families may God watch over them bless you mother Doris and brother Kevin
I bet you, David, Mike, and Chris would still be here if Fritz hadn't pushed so hard. Especially Mike
Sadly this happens all too often when a father tries to force his sons into following his idea of what they should do for a living.
Just finished watching the new "Iron Claw" movie and this helped fill in some gaps and explain correct some of the artistic liberties of the film. The Von Erichs were my father's idols when he was young and now the film and this documentary have allowed me to share that part of his life with him. Thank you, Ross.
Man, they really were awesome to watch. Such athleticism.. grew up watching them and I can't wait to see the new movie "The Iron Claw!"
Man you are spot on. Being a Dallas girl these boys fame and admiration was MASSIVE. Such a tragic tale. Like something out of an ancient myth.
It's been said by many that the death of David Von Erich was the beginning of the end for World Class Championship Wrestling, it is difficult not to concur with that statement. The promotion couldn't cope with a loss like that. He was like Magnum T.A. but even better.
Watching this hurt😢 great documentary, very well done.
Ross did great with this, Chicago Illinois rocks with this content 😎 0:16 Those photos of the Von Erichs are so great and the way you merged the photos together, Cultaholic, you all are great.
I really, really, really want to see the Von Erichs currently wrestling do well in the business. They were such an influential family helmed by some seriously talented names, marred by tragedy.
I often wondered what would have been if Fritz had treated the boys like sons instead of product.
@@RowdyRodimus it’s sad to consider, isn’t it? Would all of his sons have become wrestlers? Would ANY of them?
@@RowdyRodimus How do you know how he Treated them were you there. I mean you get this from other Wrestlers that give you different versions of how David and Mike Died
@@jackwilliamtaylor5656 they were wrestlers what the hell you talking about
I remember as a kid in the 80s watching World Class Wrestling with my grandmother every weekend. We never missed a show. My grandmother and my family loved wrestling in Texas. It just brings back memories.
"I used to be an older brother and now I am not even a brother" - Kevin Von Erich 😢
If Kevin wanted nothing else to do with the business after what happened... I wouldn't blame him
A truly heartbreaking and complex story that I witnessed growing up as a wrestling fan since 85 . This upcoming movie I hope portrays it right , MJF as Lance will be interesting .
I used to watch WCCW all the time in the 80's on ESPN. To me growing up they had more TV shows than WWF. The WWF was still the Big dog though. The Von Erichs were IT. They were super stars. It was sad seeing them drop off like that. Great video.
Their story is so heartbreaking...God bless the Von Erichs.
It’s a shame what happened to the Von Erichs, because they would have had great runs any place. Such a tragedy.
But on the plus side, Kevin is a survivor and deserves all the good things in life.
True VON Erichs were texas legends in the 80’s they are kennecys of wrestling
true story, i’m a limo driver and drove him to the airport from texas. got to spend an hour talking with him, one of the nicest people i have ever met driving, super sweet to me and everyone in his family/staff. he does deserve the best
There father but alot of pressure on then and exploited them
Fritz = Joe Jackson of pro wrestling
I was born and raised in the D-FW area, and as cool as it was to see the VE brothers and WccW take off the way it did, it hurt a lot more to see those boys, and the promotion die off the way they did! Some of the best memories I had growing up were Friday nights at the Sportatorium in Dallas, and Monday nights at WILL Rodgers Coliseum in Ft. Worth! I'm really happy to know Kevin is doing well these days, and I'm really looking forward to seeing the movie I've heard about that's coming out about the family, I just hope it's done the right way and done with respect for the family!
RIP to Fritz, Doris, Kerry, Dave, Mike, and Chris! 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
Poor Kevin, loosing 5 brothers at such young ages as well as his parents divorce.
This was very helpful! I just watched The Iron Claw and this fleshed out the story so much more. Thank you!
Finally I was just searching for a video covering von erichs since I didn't know their whole story
The Von Erichs Were So Gifted Yet So Cursed At The Same Time.
I watched the Triumph and Tragedy of WCCW by WWE. I grew up with WCCW. It reminds me of how naive I was to the business at 8 years old. The shock of Gino Hernandez. The joy of Kerry winning the NWA title. The sadness of David. Their surname should have been in the same stratosphere as Hart, Orton, the Samoans, and Flair. Congratulations to Kevin's sons for carrying it on. I never knew about the religious aspect to this story. I didn't realize just how controlling Fritz was. I didn't know Doris divorced Fritz. I can't imagine what Kevin lives with every day. I hope that family has a modicum of peace.
Rip boys and God bless Kevin
Excellent video the Von Erichs are one of wrestling's greatest dynasties and tragedies
The “Crime In Sports” podcast do a VERY VERY good job on explaining the Von Erich story very well I recommend it
Awesome video Ross! Thanks So Much 🤘💙
Top notch presentation! Thank you
Two months after losing David, Kerry is main eventing for David’s championship belt. Fritz was a classic politician, never let a good crisis go to waste
cant believe Kerry Von Erich had 1 foot and still wrestled Mr Perfect for the IC belt
Never heard of Zack Gowan?LOL jk
I'm going to take a wild guess and say that this video will get a lot more traffic now. ;)
Their dad looked like he was a little emotionally disturbed. You'd have to be a little screwed up mentally to do what he did. Those guys didn't have a father-- they had a boss. I can see why so many of them turned to drugs and worse.
Wow I love how you told this story. Very well done x x
I miss them all so much 😢 Kerry was a big kid.He was always fun and could make everyone laugh. I cherish the memories I have with my wrestling family of the Von Erichs Skandar Akbar,Chris Adams&many others.
Excellent job Ross and all who worked on this. I think I first heard about the Von Erichs from Power Slam magazine when someone asked about them in the Q & A section and that is when I first learned about the deaths of all but one (Kevin) then I watched the Rise and Fall of WCCW doc that WWE put out in 2007. It is such a tragic story.
Such a good vid guys! There were a ton of things the WWE left out that you covered. Amazing work!
That story of the Von Erich girls waiting at school for their Father to pick them up (Kerry) as he was found dead by Fritz after shooting himself, that’s rough. Kerry could of had the ultimate redemption journey if he had served his time and gotten clean. It was all too much for him to face.
Incredible video. Tragic family 💔
I just saw the movie..omg..i am heart-broken!! What a toxic father. Thank you dad for letting me choose what to be in life and not pressuring me. PS:Zac Efron had an amazing performance in the movie!
God damn 20:45 the background music 🎵,the sadness 😢, its almost 🤕 just too much, the crowd keeps falling, "the ghoulishness". Chicago Illinois rocks with this content 😎
I grew up watching these guys in the 70s and 80s. They Wrestled in Fort Worth Texas all the time.
R.i.p to all the passed von erichs. Long live Kevin.
Amen
Its a very good documentary tanks sir.
So everything went downhill when David passed away in Japan. He was the catalyst, ringleader, and bonafide wrestling guy. I looked up placidyl, pretty basic stuff. Most healthy 25 year old men don't die from a night of drinking and a few sleeping pills. Anyway, RIP guys. I was a huge fan of y'all in my youth.
They will always be the number one family of wrestling to me.
I still watch videos of Kerry he was great and I miss him
He crosses my mind off and on
WCCW forever
OMFG THIS IS THE VIDEO I NEEDED!!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
What an incredible video from everyone involved. Such a tragic story I genuinely hope Kevin is doing alright 😢
The Von Erich family curse was not a curse but rather the tragic fact that to Fritz his boys were wrestlers first and sons second, if the those priorities were reversed, it's likely Kevin would be a brother today
Sidenote: if you adjust the $1500 they were getting paid in Japan for inflation they weren't just getting paid close to three times what Mick Foley got paid for his death match tours, they were getting paid like four times what Cactus got paid for his death match tours. And that was after their father stole 40%
Rest in peace to those that passed away.
Mike was forced and pushed so hard that he never even had a choice to live. Thats sad as fuck. Chris' story really breaks my heart as well. But, I've watched the Dark Side of The Ring on the Von Erich dynasty, and eerily, Kerry, before he died, supposedly could hear his brothers voices in his head telling him to kill his self. Believed to have had ptsd and schizophrenia from the trauma and drugs. All I do know is Fritz was a terrible, corrupt, disgusting human being.
back in the 80s as a kid and into my early teens i had no idea about any of the stuff going on and Kerry was easily my all time favorite wrestler. when i got older and learned about all this stuff it is rather over whelming, and the way Kerry just sort of faded out when he had so many gifts. i remember Kerry and Kevin in matches pretty often as well as "Lance" but i dont think i ever got to see any of the other brothers even compete. it really is amazing how much bad parents can mess us up.