What is the Von Erich curse? Decoding the legend of the wrestling family

The Von Erich curse is a phrase minted by fans and the media to describe the tragic history of the Von Erich family. For those unaware, the Von Erich family was a legendary wrestling family renowned for their Iron Claw move and success in the wrestling world. The Von Erich curse tragedy began even before their wrestling careers, with the death of their son Jack at the young age of 7. The family's curse became most evident in the 1980s and 1990s.

The tragic chain of events started in 1984 when David Von Erich, known as "The Yellow Rose of Texas" to wrestling fans, passed away at just 25 years old in Tokyo. His official cause of death was revealed as acute enteritis. However, despite this, many of his friends and colleagues suspected drug use played a role in his death.

Later on, just after the period of three years, in 1987, Mike Von Erich died in Texas. The reason revealed was due to an overdose of tranquilizers.

It was also disclosed that, unlike the rest of his family, Mike did not share the same passion for the wrestling business. Despite this, he briefly participated in this business until a shoulder injury pruned short his career. Tragically, he died at the age of 23.

The Von Erich curse doesn't even end here, later on, suicide claimed the lives of two more brothers, beginning with Chris Von Erich. Although not as prominent as some of his siblings in the wrestling world, Chris had a deep passion for the business. Struggling with deep depression, feelings of inadequacy, and grief from losing his brothers, he took his own life with a self-inflicted gunshot in 1991 at the young age of 21.

Even the Von Erich curse continued with the most well-known Kerry Von Erich, who was a popular figure with a classic babyface look. Kerry achieved success in the wrestling world, notably beating Ric Flair for the NWA Heavyweight Championship and later wrestling in WWE as The Texas Tornado.

However, a series of unfortunate events, including a name change, poor booking, and the hidden pain of a partially amputated foot, led to a brief WWE stint. Following a painful divorce, Kerry tragically took his own life with a gunshot to the heart in 1993 and at that time he was only 33 years old.

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The Iron Claw movie describes the Von Erich curse through cinema

A24 has unveiled the first trailer for "The Iron Claw," a film that delves into the true story of the famed Von Erich family of professional wrestlers, as well as the infamous Von Erich curse. The movie is a collaboration between A24 and individuals such as Tessa Ross, Juliette Howell, Angus Lamont from House Productions, and writer/director Sean Durkin.

Fans can look forward to the film hitting theaters on December 22, 2023. This cinematic work is set to provide a captivating exploration of the tragic history and enduring legacy of the Von Erich family.