WWE Superstar Curtis Axel was on hand Saturday night to induct his father, Curt Hennig, into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame.
His speech was moving and meaningful, and is definitely worth a watch in the embedded video.
The event took place at the Holiday Inn, in Johnstown, NY, a short jaunt away from the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame itself, which is located in Amsterdam, NY (see pwhf.org).
Growing up with a father who was on the road all the time, Axel — Joe Hennig — recalled that his Dad always told him that the sport of professional wrestling was the greatest thing — “He would say it so much, it was almost annoying,” chuckled Axel.
Now, eight years into his own career, Axel concurs: “Being a professional wrestler is the best damn job in the whole wide world.”
Earlier on Saturday afternoon, Axel got to tour the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame, checking out the incredible amount of material on hand, while also cheerfully posing for pictures with fans. Axel raved about the PWHF as he began the speech — “I could have stayed all day.”
“Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig was inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame’s Modern Era category, along with Rick Martel.
Axel couldn’t have been prouder to induct his father, who died in 2003.
“He lives through me, he lives through my three boys at home, he lives through my brother, he lives through my sisters, he lives through my mother, he lives through his brothers and sisters, he lives through his father and through his mother.”
After finishing the initial part of the speech, and accepting the plaque marking the honour, Axel asked for the audience’s attention again, and pulled out an envelope. It had been mailed to him by his grandfather, Larry “The Axe” Hennig — Curt’s father. Larry Hennig had written the enclosed text to be read at Curt’s funeral, and Axel did his best to keep his emotions in check as he read the eulogy.
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