Kerry Von Erich "The Texas Tornado"
Kerry Adkisson, a.k.a. Kerry Von Erich, another product of a famous wrestling family burdened with tragedy. Von Erich had the physical looks to be a star, but could not control his vices. He had a well-known drug problem and if you look at the photos of him you can't help but be alarmed by the crazed look in his eyes.
Von Erich's tragedy was a product of a terrible motorcycle accident about six years before. His right ankle was badly injured and eventually required surgery to fuse it together, but privately the real story was he had to have the foot amputated. That was kept a deep secret in the business, even though some people knew because he never removed his boot, even while showering. When his right boot was pulled off in a match two years after the accident and the amputation, it revealed a sock without a foot in it. Von Erich quickly worked to put the boot back on but the audience was stunned. When reported by Meltzer and later picked up by another publication, the incident was quickly denied. How a wrestler can perform with such as disability -- which in fact was against the ancient statutes of the business -- is incredible.
Symbolically, Kerry Von Erich lived a protected life, but when he feared going to jail on cocaine possession charges he ended his physical and emotional pain by shooting himself in the heart.
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