Owen was a Canadian professional wrestler for the WWE. In 1999, Hart fell to his death in Kansas City, Missouri, during the "Over the Edge" pay-per-view event.
WWE Career
The youngest of 12 children to Stu and Helen Hart, Owen Hart entered the WWE as the "Blue Blazer" in 1988. After teaming with Jim Neidhart and Koko B. Ware through the early 1990s, he feuded with his brother Bret for the WWE Championship in 1994. The feud culminated in a memorable steel cage match at SummerSlam 1994.
Three years later, at SummerSlam 1997, Hart legitimately injured Stone Cold Steve Austin, piledriving Austin onto his neck at the end of the match. The injury would force Austin into early retirement years later.
Hart was a decorated technician throughout his career, winning the WWE Tag Team Championship on four occasions with Yokozuna, brother-in-law Davey Boy Smith and Jeff Jarrett.
Death
On May 23, 1999, at the WWE's "Over the Edge" pay-per-view, Hart was scheduled to be lowered into the ring from the Kemper Arena rafters via harness and rappel line. 78 feet from the ground, Hart accidentally triggered the early-release mechanism on the harness, resulting in a fatal fall to the ring. Hart died of internal bleeding caused by blunt chest trauma.
The Hart Family was awarded a reported $18 million from the WWE from a following lawsuit. Hart was 34 when he died.
