They say that wrestlers are fearless; that it takes sheer guts to put their bodies on the line, night-in and night-out like they do. This braveness has been put to the test numerous times, be it in the arena in death-defying matches or outside the ropes on shows like Fear Factor.
Few wrestlers, or anyone for that matter, would put their bodies to one of mankind’s most chilling torture tests — the Polar Bear Plunge. After all, voluntarily submerging yourself in an icy water body in well sub-zero temperatures isn’t for even the most bravehearted of souls.
Nora Greenwald in a WWE promo photo from late in her career.
That’s what makes Nora Greenwald stand out from her peers. Nora, perhaps better known to the wrestling community as Molly Holly, will take the leap this Saturday, as she will take a dive into Minnesota’s White Bear Lake.
The inspiration for this jump is Special Olympics Minnesota, a charitable organization that Greenwald has been a part of dating back to her days in the ring.
“A good number of Special Olympians have always been our (WWE) most dedicated wrestling fans, and I have become a fan of theirs,” Greenwald told SLAM! Wrestling in an email interview.
Through online and other donations, Greenwald has already exceeded her goal of $1,500, raising $2,025 as of January 27. And while there are many ways that Greenwald could have raised this significant sum, she was inspired to do the jump after doing a bit of research.
“I had heard of the Polar Bear Plunge, but I always thought those people were crazy,” she admitted. “Then I read the book The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom and I realized I live a life of comfort, so why not be uncomfortable for a good cause.”
So does she have any special plans, then, for her jump, you ask?
“I did…spend some time putting a costume together. I will be ‘Supergirl’,” Greenwald revealed. “Hmmm, I guess kind of like a Mighty Molly ;-).”
During her WWE career, Greenwald was highly praised by fans and the wrestling media as being a top worker during a boom era where women such as herself, Victoria, Lita, and Trish Stratus gave fans spectacular matches; and though she does not follow WWE or TNA today on a consistent basis, Greenwald comments that today’s women have picked up the torch left by her and her fellow alumnae.
“I actually do not have a TV, but I did go to a RAW houseshow in Rochester, Minn. Beth Phoenix and Melina were amazing,” Greenwald said. “They have taken women’s wresting to the next level.”
Today, Greenwald continues to make occasional wrestling-related appearances, but, even though she has had the opportunity to return full-time to the circle, she has stayed away from returning to life on the road, preferring instead to focus on her career working with organizations dedicated to helping kids.
“I have actually had a few offers for a few different things,” Greenwald said. “I like doing one-shot cameos, but I think my full-time life on the road will remain in the past. I love working as a bus-aide on a special needs bus for the school district, and working in addiction recovery at Teen Challenge.”
MOLLY HOLLY STORIES
- June 30, 2001: Molly Holly having a blast in the WWF
- July 16, 2001: Molly & Spike: Lovin’ their ‘love’