The Von Erich family, originally the Adkissons, became legendary in professional wrestling under patriarch Fritz Von Erich (real name Jack Adkisson), who adopted the “Von Erich” persona as a villainous gimmick with implied Nazi roots during his career in the 1950s and beyond. The so-called “Von Erich curse” is a colloquial term and myth that emerged from a series of devastating tragedies that claimed the lives of five out of Fritz’s six sons, fueling rumors of a supernatural affliction tied to the family name or their high-pressure wrestling legacy.
The tragedies began in 1959 when the eldest son, Jack Jr., aged 6, was electrocuted by a trailer wire and drowned in a puddle outside the family home. David Von Erich died in 1984 at age 25 during a wrestling tour in Japan, officially from acute enteritis but with speculation of a drug overdose. Kerry Von Erich, a former NWA World Heavyweight Champion, lost his right foot in a 1986 motorcycle accident, struggled with painkiller addiction, and died by suicide in 1993 at age 33. Mike Von Erich suffered toxic shock syndrome after shoulder surgery in 1985, leading to brain damage; he died by suicide in 1987 at age 23. Chris Von Erich, the youngest, battled health issues including asthma and brittle bones, and died by suicide in 1991 at age 21. The sole survivor, Kevin Von Erich, has dismissed the curse idea as “ridiculous,” attributing the deaths to personal struggles, family pressures, and coincidences rather than any supernatural force.
The family’s story, marked by fame in World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW) and profound loss, has been dramatized in the 2023 film The Iron Claw, which explores themes of paternal expectations and the “curse” as a metaphor for their hardships. Despite the myth’s persistence, it’s widely seen as a tragic confluence of accidents, health issues, substance abuse, and mental health challenges rather than a literal hex.
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