It’s never easy for an athlete to suffer a career ending injury, especially when it’s something as serious as a stroke.
On June 24, 2002 Bret Hart hit a pothole while cycling and hit the back of his head on the ground and that’s believed to be what triggered his stroke that nearly ended his in ring career, and it’s been alluded to that the concussion he suffered at Bill Goldberg’s hands may be tied to it.
The stroke left one of the greatest to ever step foot into the square circle, and it was a shock to many that it happened.
For many of us, pro wrestlers seemed indestructible as they put their bodies on the line night after night to entertain us. Obviously, they’re human like the rest of us, and over the years it’s become more and more apparent with the injuries and deaths we’ve seen.
For Bret Hart, his stroke became the greatest challenge of his life and he’s gone into depth talking about his struggle and rehabilitation afterwards.
But there is one moment he’s especially proud of.
Returning to the ring
On June 24, 2022 Bret Hart took to Instagram to share his thoughts on the 20th anniversary of his stroke, and he singled out his return at WrestleMania XXVI on March 28, 2010 against Vince McMahon as the most important moment for him.
He said:
“Walking down the aisle at Wrestlemania 26 in Phoenix. Today marks 20 years since I suffered a stroke. I chose this photo because there was a time when I didn’t think this moment would ever happen again, especially when I was struggling to turn my hand over, unable to walk or stand, and struggling to talk. When you suffer a stroke, the doctors never promise that you’ll have a full recovery. I still have some weakness on my left side to this day, but I’m very fortunate to be here today having recovered what I did. I will forever be grateful to the doctors and therapists at the Foothills Hospital here in Calgary and my fans around the world for their prayers. While the match itself will never be in anyone’s top 10, this moment represents one of my greatest victories.”
Just imagining what it took for him to recover from his worst injury and return to the ring to have more matches is awe inspiring and something to be remembered.
More than that, it gives many of us hope that when we’re faced with something that seems unbeatable that anything can happen if we refused to give up.
What do you think about Bret’s return to the ring? Let us know in the comments below.
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