Mother's health, book on Diana Hart-Smith's mind

Mother's health, book on Diana Hart-Smith's mind

Stu Hart receives the Iron Mike Mazurski award at the Cauliflower Alley Club reunion in Las Vegas in February 2001. With Stu are, from left, Ross Hart, Bruce Hart and Diana Hart, and Judo Gene Lebell. -- Greg Oliver, CANOE

By GREG OLIVER -- SLAM! Wrestling
The world is certainly spinning around for Diana Hart-Smith at the moment.

Her mother, Helen, is unconscious in a Calgary hospital and the wrestling world prays along with Hart clan for her recovery.

Also weighing on her mind is the release of her autobiography, "Under The Mat", from Fenn Publishing which is scheduled to be released on October 15th, followed by numerous interviews and media appearances.

"My mom has been very excited about Under The Mat," Hart-Smith told SLAM! Wrestling. "My dad told me that on Wednesday, on our way home from the hospital."

She admits to being nervous about the upcoming publicity tour, which will likely include a live chat on SLAM! Wrestling, especially because the mainstream doesn't always know what to think about wrestling.

"They don't know me as well as you have come to know me and my family. I hope they will not misunderstand me and my family and our unique 'ways'," she explained.

"I really hope it will be a successful tour. I have had so much support from most of the family in the last little while as the debut draws closer. My mom and dad are very proud of me for taking on this challenge and they supported me for not taking the easy road when it came to talking about the truth about my life. In other words, I didn't gloss over things and I wasn't intimidated by more prominent family members who have not been very nice to me in the past few years. But, "Under The Mat" is not a gloomy, dark book at all -- there are so many happy recollections about growing up in a wonderful family who were raised on love and our passion for wrestling. Even the daughters have it in our blood."

The family has been thrilled with the response of friends and fans to Helen Hart's hospitialization.

Among those who have called was Linda McMahon, president and CEO of World Wrestling Federation Entertainment. "Linda McMahon has also been in touch with my dad over the last few days, and she was sorry to hear how serious my mom's condition is. My dad and Linda agreed that we are family and they (the McMahons) are worried about my mom and the family just as if we were their family."

Helen Hart, who is diabetic, is on kidney dialysis, and the doctors hope that will give her body the strength it needs to come out of the coma. "They think that she'll be in a comatose state for several days, but they're optimistic."

Stu Hart is better today than he was yesterday, his daughter said. "He was very revived after the meeting with the doctor yesterday. He seemed like he was so hopeful."

Diana Smith-Hart described more of her mother's condition. "There is also blood in between my mom's brain and her skull. They think that is there because she fell, but no one actually saw her fall. She had a blood clot on her brain, just a little one, and also an old spot, maybe from ten years ago. She also had a little scab on her scalp, which makes us think she probably banged her head sometime Thursday, before she went into the hospital. Her blood sugar level was extremely high, a count of 29 when it should be 4-6. But we think she had a mini-stroke before Thursday and it caused her to forget to take her insulin. My mom never forgets to take her insulin, so it was very unlike her to just not take it. She is very responsible that way. We are very worried about her. She is very sick and she and my dad are the backbone and strength behind my whole family."

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