Hart battles illness
85-year-old wrestling family patriarch in hospital
By CAMERON MAXWELL -- Calgary Sun
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Wrestling icon Stu Hart is comforted by daughters Ellie, left, and Georgia in his room at the Rockyview Hospital yesterday.
Photo: Robin Kuniski, Sun
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Wrestling legend Stu Hart is in hospital battling pneumonia and heart problems.
The 85-year-old is doing well in the cardiac unit of Rockyview Hospital and hopes to be back at home very soon.
"They say I can maybe leave in a few days," said Hart, who was visited by daughters Ellie Neidhart and Georgia Hart yesterday.
Doctors had to drain fluid from Hart's lungs and the area around his heart when he was admitted on Thursday.
Hart, who was announced as an Order of Canada recipient in February, said he has to be out of hospital to get to the ceremony next month.
"I've got to get out of here for the Order of Canada in Ottawa," said the former owner of Stampede Wrestling.
Hart's son Bruce said the family was saddened their father couldn't be home for Easter.
"It's disappointing he couldn't come home," said Bruce, adding, his dad also has diabetes.
The Hart family has suffered its share of misfortune recently, starting when Hart's son Owen died in May 1999 performing a World Wrestling Federation stunt in Kansas City's Kemper Arena.
His widow, Martha Hart, recently won a $18-million US settlement in a wrongful death lawsuit against the WWF.
Then Hart's son-in-law Davey-Boy Smith was arrested and charged last year with two counts of threatening to kill Diana Hart -- Smith's estranged wife -- and her sister Ellie.
The charges were dropped in December after Smith agreed to stay away from Diana.
But just days later, Smith was charged with threatening brother-in-law Bruce Hart -- the estranged husband of his new girlfriend and brother of wrestling superstar Bret (The Hitman) Hart.
Smith, 38, an international wrestling star, has also been in rehab for an addiction to painkillers.
He has recently distanced himself from the Hart family.
A special e-mail address has been set up for people who would like to send in their well wishes to Stu Hart.
They can be sent to
GetWellStu@StampedeWrestling.com -- each contribution will be printed out and hand delivered to Hart himself.
Bruce said the family would like to thank all those who have already passed along their thoughts and prayers over the Easter weekend.
