Wrestler dies at televised event in Kansas City [CNN]

Wrestler dies at televised event in Kansas City
From CNN.COM
Sunday, May 23, 1999

KANSAS CITY, Missouri -- A World Wrestling Federation wrestler died late Sunday at a televised wrestling event at the Kemper Arena, officials said.

According to Kansas City police, the unnamed wrestler was making an entrance on a wire when he fell 50 feet into the ring as he was being lowered from the roof of the arena.

He was pronounced dead on arrival at Truman Medical Center.

The wrestler was given CPR in the ring at the soldout event at Kemper Arena before being rushed to the hospital.

The horrified crowd at first thought the fall was a stunt, but it quickly became apparent that it was an accident. The event was televised on pay-for-view and seen around the country.

"He was supposed to be lowered down into the ring," said Michelle Hindorff, a paramedic and dispatcher for the city ambulance service.

"It didn't get hooked on to him. He thought it was hooked on. We gave him CPR in the ring. He was a trauma code."

The accident happened during the second part of the event called "Over the Edge." The first part of the event, "Sunday Night Heat," had been televised live on the USA network.