12 Tragic Details About The Death Of The Von Erich Brothers

7. Chris Committed Suicide By A Gunshot Wound

In September of 1991, Chris Von Erich, the youngest of 6 boys, took his life. He did this by shooting himself in the head a mere 18 days before his 22nd birthday. Outside of Jack who was 6, Chris was the youngest Von Erich brother to lose his life. He was immensely depressed from having a failing wrestling career, though this wasn’t for lack of talent. Chris just physically wasn’t able to withstand the punishment that comes along with being a professional wrestler. It’s sad that his dreams were dashed because of physical ailments, but there are other facets of wrestling that he could have succeeded in. He could have been a great manager for his brothers or could have tried his hand at booking matches.

Nevertheless, the Von Erich family lost another member, and the wrestling community couldn’t help but stop and stare at the pain that plagued the family.

8. Kerry Von Erich Was The Only Brother To Win A Title In The WWE

Out of all the Von Erich brothers that competed in professional wrestling, Kerry Von Erich is perhaps that most famous. The Texas Tornado had a monster physique to go along with his good looks, and fans quickly grew to love his work in the ring. Outside of brothers David and Kevin, Kerry was the only Von Erich brother to compete under the bright lights of the WWE. Kerry Von Erich spent several years competing in the WWE, and his crowning achievement would be winning the Intercontinental Championship by defeating Mr. Perfect at SummerSlam.

Unfortunately, this would be the only title that a Von Erich brother would win in the WWE. The family spent the better part of their careers wrestling in World Class Championship Wrestling, and aside from Kerry, no other brother spent excessive time in the WWE. Sadly, Kerry’s career would be littered with ups and downs, and his lowest valleys were something that few could deal with.

9. Before He Died, Kerry Had His Foot Amputated

Unfortunately, those low valleys that Kerry saw during his professional career would reach the bottom after he was involved in a brutal motorcycle accident. Due to the damage that he sustained in the accident, Kerry wound up losing his right foot. The physical and emotional toll of it all led Kerry to become addicted to prescription drugs. He would go on to receive a prosthetic foot, and even wrestled with it on. Kerry was said to have been very embarrassed about having to wear the foot, and he went through great lengths to keep it concealed while wrestling.

Being in top physical form is essential in having a successful wrestling career, and Kerry losing his foot had done more damage than his family even realized. His depression wouldn’t subside, and he was heading down a very dark path. His family had to have known that Kerry was about to do the unthinkable.