Hart-felt tribute
By NADIA MOHARIB -- Calgary Sun
Martha Hart wants to set the record straight.
And with the release of her book Broken Harts: The Life and Death of Owen Hart, which hits stores today and is co-authored by Sun columnist Eric Francis, she tells the story of life with her high-school sweetheart and the negligence which led to his death.
"I was compelled to tell his story because I felt I was his voice and it's a tribute to Owen," Martha said yesterday.
"I had to mentally put myself back in the moment and relive it so the reader would be able to feel like they were walking beside me."
Her star-wrestler husband and father of their two children fell to his death in an eight-story free-fall from the top of Kansas City's sold-out Kemper Arena and into the wrestling ring below in 1999.
His death prompted an ugly battle with the World Wrestling Federation's (now WWE) over responsibility for the tragedy -- a battle ending with a multi-million-dollar settlement for Martha and her founding of the Owen Hart Foundation.
Owen's sister, Diana Hart's tell-all book, Under The Mat: Inside Wrestling's Greatest Family, was pulled from stores last year amidst allegations of libel and slander from relatives and friends.
Francis assures Martha's book tells the truth with tact.
"It was an incredible experience. She really opened up and told the incredible story of her life, her life with Owen and Owen's life."
Proceeds from the book will be donated to the Kid's Help Phone. The Sun will run exclusive excerpts from the book next weekend.
