For many this question has already been answered. Since that hot muggy June day in 2007 when WWE wrestler Chris Benoit decided to kill himself along his wife and son, fans all over the world decided how they want to remember him. It is now 2011 almost 2012. It’s been a couple of years since this took place so it would make sense that many fans would have decided this by now.
But even now four years later there are still many who don’t know how they should remember him just like there are many who cannot believe he was capable of committing such a crime. From rumors of Kevin Sullivan being the real murderer, to Nancy herself there have been those who have even accused the victim of murdering their son Daniel therefore making Chris snap so he killed her. Any of this could have happened, but there is a problem with it. The evidence doesn’t support any such theories.
Forensic evidence proved that Nancy died before their son and that Benoit himself died last. But people will believe what they want to believe so I’m not here to debate this with anyone. I also will not debate the fact that Chris Benoit was one of the best wrestlers of our time and one of the best wrestlers ever. This is true. He gave us many great matches. I will never forget Wrestlemania 20 when he won his first title in the classic three way with Triple H and Shawn Michaels. I will always remember his feuds which were memorable among those with Kurt Angle, Shawn Michaels, Chris Jericho, The Rock, Triple H, and even the wild one with Kevin Sullivan in WCW. These are only a few of many memorable feuds and matches. The very first money in the bank at Wrestlemania 21 in which he participated is among my favorites.
As a wrestling fan since 1983 I know and remember the kind of wrestler Chris Benoit was. So no there is no denying that. I don’t have a problem to hear anyone mention that, and no I do not get offended to hear it either. What I do find disturbing is when people want to say that he should not only be remembered for the murders he committed. Many fans have gone as far as to say that they prefer not to remember the murders he committed. On the E True Hollywood Story on Chris Benoit Bret Hart echoed this too saying the same thing that Benoit should not only be remembered for the murders.
For those fans who prefer not to remember the murders; they put it this way, they prefer to remember Benoit as the great wrestler he was and not the murderer he became. That is their choice but it’s a choice I find disturbing. I won’t forget Chris the wrestler but under no circumstances can I forget the murders he committed either. Chris made the tragic choice of taking his wife and son even if we don’t know or understand the reasons why. (and hey when do we ever try to understand murder suicides despite valid reasons like a father being laid off for example?)
Why Chris committed these murders will never be known despite reasons given whether it was steroids, or undiagnosed concussions, or that Nancy was taking Daniel and leaving him (the likely reason at least in my opinion) we just don’t know. He left no note explaining his actions. All we can do is speculate and wonder, but in the end he still made the choice and it was the wrong and horrible choice. Under no circumstances should it be forgotten or pushed aside just to remember the great wrestler he used to be.
To continue to do so is a great injustice to his two victims Nancy and Daniel Benoit. The pain caused to them and to her family is very real. The pain caused to Benoit’s own family is real enough too, and cannot and should not be pushed aside. It can be hard not to do this if one is watching one of Benoit’s enjoyable matches, but Nancy and Daniel should be remembered even then. Even if just for a moment. They deserve that much. Their lives meant something too, and it was Chris Benoit’s choice to take them with him. He shouldn’t be excused from that.
So to enjoy and remember Chris Benoit the wrestler is your choice if you were and still are one of his fans. But his crimes against his wife and son should never be forgotten either. He made his choice to kill them, and all his success in the ring cannot change that fact. And there are those who remember Chris only for these murders. Sad as it is those are the consequences for Chris Benoit’s terrible choice.