Chris Benoit - 10 Years Later

[Stopspot]

I can't remember whether it was pain pills or what. but they say his brain was "ate up" I remember. Then he laid Bibles down where his family was and after killing them killed himself. The last few years of his life I know nothing about. Someone who would do this couldn't be right.

Chris took a lot of hits to the head. Both unprotected punches, chairs, going through tables etc. And him using the diving headbutt and doing it unprotected didn't help. His brain was basically mashed potatoes at the end and as was pointed out earlier in this thread by Jacob, comparable to a 80+ year old man with Alzheimer.

Combine that with pill, drink and steroid problems (all of this has been pointed out about him by friends of his. Chris was not doing well at the end and drank a lot to deal with the pain) and it was almost the perfect storm for something like this sadly.

The Chris that killed his family was not the real Chris most likely. But it was still a heinous act and should be a warning sign to any wrestler that doesn't worry about what type of bumps they take and what they put in themselves/how much

 

[Jacob Fox]

I can't remember whether it was pain pills or what. but they say his brain was "ate up" I remember. Then he laid Bibles down where his family was and after killing them killed himself. The last few years of his life I know nothing about. Someone who would do this couldn't be right.

It was a likely a combo of things. He was known to take unprotected chair shots to the head very often. Those diving head butts had to cause a bit of trouble and the drugs couldn't help either. But yeah, his brain was in REALLY awful condition when they autopsied him.

 

[Stopspot]

A fairly good comparison from popular culture is Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

All the shit Chris went through likely caused him to suffer some form of psychosis during which he didn't know what he was doing. Doesn't absolve him of the crime, but helps explain it most likely.

 

[Jacob Fox]

On a spiritual level I believe he was batling his own demons. Not only that, I also believe it was also the damaging headbutts he did in the ring, too.
What he did to his family is wrong and I Dnt wish that upon anyone else. Whatever happened wether in ring or outside Made him snap. :emoji_slight_frown: The Question we will NEVER know is Why and What made him do such a terrible thing. Now he gets to spend an eternity in Hell.

Not to get all religious, but if you believe in Hell, you also have to accept that the only person who makes that decision is the God of your religion. And if Benoit's actions were beyond his control, which is likely due to the damage of his brain, I think God would understand.

The fact is, that fmri results have shown that people who kill have damage and decreased activity to the frontal lobe of their brain, which is where our impulse control is located. It is very likely they have severe brain malfunctions and I just think it would be awfully horrible of a creator to give a human being that burden and then punish them for eternity for something they have no control over.

 

[Billc]

Chris took a lot of hits to the head. Both unprotected punches, chairs, going through tables etc. And him using the diving headbutt and doing it unprotected didn't help. His brain was basically mashed potatoes at the end and as was pointed out earlier in this thread by Jacob, comparable to a 80+ year old man with Alzheimer.

Combine that with pill, drink and steroid problems (all of this has been pointed out about him by friends of his. Chris was not doing well at the end and drank a lot to deal with the pain) and it was almost the perfect storm for something like this sadly.

The Chris that killed his family was not the real Chris most likely. But it was still a heinous act and should be a warning sign to any wrestler that doesn't worry about what type of bumps they take and what they put in themselves/how much

I agree with you in your last ¶ but eternity in hell isn't a merciful God but one chomping at the bit to damn everyone. Anyway what was done was indeed tragic. There's been this problem too with football players more recently.

 

[Stopspot]

I agree with you in your last ¶ but eternity in hell isn't a merciful God but one chomping at the bit to damn everyone. Anyway what was done was indeed tragic. There's been this problem too with football players more recently.

bruh I did not bring religion into this.

The Benoit case helped kickstart the brain damage in sports movement. Former WWE wrestler Chris Nowinzki is very involved in this .

 

[Billc]

bruh I did not bring religion into this.

The Benoit case helped kickstart the brain damage in sports movement. Former WWE wrestler Chris Nowinzki is very involved in this .

I think the thing with Owen Hart was later too wasn't it? Mcmahon doesn't let people come from above anymore either.

 

[Stopspot]

I think the thing with Owen Hart was later too wasn't it? Mcmahon doesn't let people come from above anymore either.

Owen Hart died way earlier than Chris if that is what you mean. And Owen's death was a freak accident (he was supposed to rappel down to the ring from the rafters in a safety harness but the harness snapped and he crushed his ribcage against the ringropes for those of you who don't know.) So it's not like Owen's death stopped people from going off the top rope or doing high spots. But I don't think anyone has rappelled down from the rafters since (except Sting in WCW)

 

[Billc]

Owen Hart died way earlier than Chris if that is what you mean. And Owen's death was a freak accident (he was supposed to rappel down to the ring from the rafters in a safety harness but the harness snapped and he crushed his ribcage against the ringropes for those of you who don't know.) So it's not like Owen's death stopped people from going off the top rope or doing high spots. But I don't think anyone has rappelled down from the rafters since (except Sting in WCW)

OK I see. I couldn't remember. I wasn't really watching wrestling when Hart died. But I was with Benoit. Going off the top rope and falling from the rafters is quite different though. I have heard that sting was lowered from the rafters. And I can't say what they were going to do with Hart. I did hear too that they might not have fastened the harness, but that's probably pure talk.

 

[Stopspot]

OK I see. I couldn't remember. I wasn't really watching wrestling when Hart died. But I was with Benoit. Going off the top rope and falling from the rafters is quite different though. I have heard that sting was lowered from the rafters. And I can't say what they were going to do with Hart. I did hear too that they might not have fastened the harness, but that's probably pure talk.

They were basically going to Sting lower him. But the harness got loose and he fell 78 feet, hitting the ring ropes dead on at peak velocity.

Not the best way to go

 

[Nikki Nitro]

Well if it is spirtuality you refer to, an "eternity in hell" is rather questionable. With the brain of an 85 yo alzheimer patient, full knowledge and consent to sin; is quite questionable. With dementia like that, do you have full knowledge of a thing for a "sin unto death".

Why Questionable?

 

[Stopspot]

Why Questionable?

Because, as Billc said. Hell is for people who know that they sin, or at least are of sound mind. For most it is pretty clear that Chris was neither of those at the time of the tragedy so him ending up in "hell" is questionable.

If one chooses to believe in hell that is

 

[Nikki Nitro]

Hmmm.... ur prob right. I cant argue that.

 

[Jacob Fox]

Before I began researching suicide, I worked with studying and profiling serial killers. It was by far the most depressing job in the world and I probably went through a bottle of vodka every day. One thing I noticed, though, is that people more readily accept that a person is evil than the fact that they might not be in control of their mind and body jjtime to time.

Now don't get me wrong. There are people who I would describe as completely evil. I think Charles Manson was completely in control. Leopold and Lobe, completely in control. I remember, though, studying a murderer who actually volunteered for a study to find out why he had a compulsion to kill. In all of his parole hearings, he told the parole board to not let him go because the first thing he would do is kill. They scanned his brain and his frontal lobe activity was nearly nonexistent.

Most people would rather view Benoit as an evil man rather than a man who was not in control. I think it is easier to think that a person chooses to kill rather than kill because they have no control. It makes it easier for us to judge that person and we are by nature very judgmental.

This is not directed at anyone. Just general

 

[Grievous 3D]

Chris Benoit was one of my all time favorites...but...
its hard for me to have an opinion these days.

It was just a tragedy for everyone involved.

I guess this is one incident in wrestling I do try my
best to forget and not think about.