Author Muchnick's Email Exchange With Chris Benoit's Father

Most of the exchange below with Mike Benoit, Chris’s father, is self-explanatory. In the next post I will discuss what I think is the newsworthy information in Mr. Benoit’s second message.

Irv Muchnick

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From: Mike Benoit
Subject: Andrew Martin
To: Irvin Muchnick
Date: Wednesday, December 9, 2009, 7:01 AM

Irv

Brain damage is the underlying cause of death in the wrestling industry. Jim Ross wrote in his blog that Andrew took drugs because he could not make it to the top of WWE. Andrew was taking drugs because of the pain he was in due to brain damage. At one time Andrew Martin was the WWE Hard Core Champion. If Eddy, Davey Boy,Pillman, Mike Durham the list goes on and on would have been tested they would have found brain damage. It leads to addictions and behavior issues that we continue to see in this industry.At least two of the above mentioned people had restraining orders placed against them because their wives feared for their lives. Are all wrestlers just real bad individuals? It is so unfortunate that all the people writing books and articles about these ongoing deaths just do not get it. We will continue to see young wrestlers die. Some will get tested and I will guarantee you that if they participated in hard core style matches during their career they will show signs of CTE.

Mike Benoit

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From: Irvin Muchnick
Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2009 6:46 AM
To: Mike Benoit
Subject: Re: Andrew Martin

Mike,

Thanks for your note. I hope you’re well. Do I have your permission to run your message in full on my blog?

In my book I said what I had to say about brain injuries. And I’m continuing to cover the story on my blog. Brain trauma is real and my assessment of it was and is honest, even if we disagree on whether I go far enough with it. I’m sorry that I don’t think a “single-bullet theory” for wrestling’s culture of death would be journalistically responsible, but I admire your advocacy in this very important aspect of the problem.

All best,
Irv

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From: Mike Benoit
Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2009 11:01 AM
To: Irvin Muchnick
Subject: Re: Andrew Martin

Irv

Feel free to print my previous message.

Andrew Martin took WWE up on their offer for rehab. Drugs killed Andrew there is no debating that but if Andrew did not have brain damage he would still be alive today. So would my son. Please help me understand why rehab does not work for people engaged in the wrestling industry. It is my personal belief that until you cure the brain damage you will never have a successful drug rehab program for wrestlers. CTE was first diagnosed in boxers back in the 1920’s. Steroids have been around since the late 50’s. I am not sure how you can make a connection there. Would you give pain killers to a family member that had brain damage and tell them to self medicate?

I have not had the opportunity to read your book. I do hope you included McDevitt’s suggestion that my son was dealing drugs and that is why we never sued them. That man is just full of character and integrity. The fact of the matter is that the children have the option to bring legal action up to two years after their eighteenth birthday. In the case of Chris’s daughter that is seven years from now. The bodies will continue to pile up and many will end up being tested. With the exception of a few they will have CTE as a result of the brain damage they sustained in the ring.

Brain damage is the the underlying cause of deaths in the wrestling industry. Stop the brain damage and you will stop 90% of the deaths. Do you also say that drugs not brain damage is the cause for all the NFL deaths? Please feel free to explain the difference to me.

Mike Benoit

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From: Irvin Muchnick
Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2009 1:14 PM
To: Mike Benoit
Subject: RE: Andrew Mart
Thanks, Mike. Please now let me know if I can reprint our exchange, including this second message of yours, which has newsworthy information. I’ll hold off on posting your first message until I’ve received your answer to this new request of mine.

Best,
Irv

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From: Mike Benoit
Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2009 12:22 PM
To: Irvin Muchnick
Subject: Re: Andrew Martin

Irv

Please be my guest and print it.

Mike Benoit