The Harts distressed and in turmoil
By LYLE HARVEY -- Calgary Sun
The head of Calgary's first family of wrestling says he worries that
a son-in-law's brush with the law might further fracture his once closely-knit
clan.
Grappling legend Stu Hart said the arrest Thursday of Davey Boy Smith -- a
pro wrestler known as the British Bulldog, who is estranged from Hart's
daughter Diana -- has been tough on him and wife Helen.
"My wife, especially, was distressed about it, because we've never had any
problems with any of our kids," Stu said.
"It's an ugly thing -- you don't even like thinking about it, and you don't
quite know how it's going to end."
Smith, 37, was arrested and charged Thursday after Diana allegedly received
a death threat.
He had been out on bail after being arrested and charged Wednesday in
connection with a death-threat incident last September.
The former WCW star, who has admitted to battling a painkiller problem
after a back injury, made a brief court appearance yesterday on the
death-threat charges.
Smith, who was kept in custody, will be back in provincial court Monday,
when government lawyers will seek to have his bail revoked.
Diana Hart's lawyer was also in court yesterday to seek a restraining order
against Smith.
Diana, 37, has been separated from Smith for a couple of years, and they
share custody of their two teenage children.
She said the last few years have been hard, not only on her, but also on
her parents and her nine living siblings.
Brother Owen Hart died at age 34 after falling 15 metres during a WWF event
in Kansas City on May 23 last year. Arsonists struck the family's guest house
last July and brother Bret got fired by the WCW last week.
Diana's brother, Dean, died in 1990.
"Things are really taking a toll on our family," Diana said.
"Every family has its problems, but in this situation, everyone is very
emotional."
Stu said the public attention paid to his family is something he and his
wife still find hard to get used to, especially during such difficult
circumstances.
"We've been fairly quiet all our lives, but I think we've had 20 or 30
police cars here in the last 48 hours," he said.
"It's hard to believe all of this is going on in one family."
