Anyway after a few more matches it was the interval, and I could hear all these cars starting up in the parking lot and driving away. There were a few more matches and then Steve, Brian, Ricky and I went on dead last. And when we went out I counted from the apron and there were just 24 people left in the building. And we went out and did about 52 minutes and those fans who stayed got a great match. We ended up being snowed in for six days! But that’s just how it was with us guys; we would always put on a good show.
There was an NWA tradition that the world title went on last and the tag team title was the semi-main event. At that time, Sting was taking on Vader for the world title, no disrespect to either of those two great workers but they couldn’t do what we did. We would take the fans on a real journey in our matches and after a while it was hard for that main event to follow what was basically a 55-minute wrestling clinic and so for the first time in NWA history the tag match was the main event and the world title was the semi-main event.
I‘m not bragging, but we all had such admiration for each other in those matches and all of us were all so competent that we never had any messed up matches.”
Regardless of the venue or the size of the crowd, Steve and Brian were continuing to steal the shows in their series of rematches against the former holders of the crowns. It seemed that they were destined for big things as they gained increasing notoriety in their matches with a wide range of contenders.
Throughout the summer of 1993, the Blonds faced a diverse array of teams in their defences of their tag titles; from the returning stalwart ‘Nature Boy’ Ric Flair and any combination of his Four Horsemen partners Arn Anderson and Paul Roma, to the flashy athleticism of the youthful duo of Marcus Alexander Bagwell and 2 Cold Scorpio. They were defeating everyone in their path after each of their challengers had experienced a ‘brush with greatness’.
While the Blonds were tearing it up on the road, I continued to get the support and company from my neighbours. Together, J.L. and his sister Ann created such a warm environment for Jade, Stephanie and me, and they were like a surrogate family to us. They knew I was missing my fiancé, so we used to host these really fun pay-per-view parties at the cabin. J.L. and his wife Gayle would bring their three sons, Darren, Scott and Nathan, while Ann and her husband Clifford would bring their son Jonathan. We would get pizzas, soft drinks and beer to the house, and watch ‘Stunning’ Steve every time he set foot in the ring.
I accepted that Steve no longer wanted me around the ring as his valet, but I still wanted to be at his side. As I watched him perform on the small screen, my heart was with him at each event, cheering his every move.
As autumn was approaching, I got a call from Jerry Jarrett. He pitched an idea for me to return to the USWA under the name Nanny Simpson, managing Brian Christopher and participating in a series of mixed gender tag matches similar to my previous run in the Memphis office. After discussing the idea with Steve, we turned down the offer. He was wary of Jarrett’s intentions, and our time as a family together had become increasingly rare.
Whenever Steve got time off we would spend time with the kids. Even though we didn’t see much of each other we remained incredibly close and both of us were so content with our happy little family unit.
With Jade and Stephanie bringing so much joy to my relationship with Steve, it reminded me on the importance of family, so I flew my brother and mum out to spend time with us.
The time spent with my mum was invaluable. As a child, it was a daily struggle to cope with her alcoholism, but she had made a real effort to clear herself of her addiction.
I wanted her to provide the love to her grandchildren that she could never give to me, and I yearned for her to be a part of my life again.
Seeing her so healthy and lucid healed many wounds. It created a new start for the both of us.
As if things could not get any better, Steve got the message that we had been waiting almost two years to hear. The annulment of his marriage to Kathy had been concluded.
We could finally start to make plans for our wedding day.
For so long, Steve and I could not truly express our commitment to each other and formalise our mutual love. With his annulment to Kathy, there was no longer anything holding us back. We were looking ahead to the celebration of becoming husband and wife.
It seemed we could finally revel in the joys of arranging our wedding. But it was not long before Steve’s mum interfered.
His first marriage to Kathy had been a big church ceremony, so Beverly insisted that he should opt for a significantly lesser service this time. She would persist until we conceded that we would just hold a small ritual at the house, and she even asserted that I should wear a suit to the ceremony in place of a dress.
My childhood dream of a big plush wedding was not to be, but it didn’t matter. The most important thing was that Steve and I were making a commitment to each other and our family.
I made no hesitation to visit the local church, the Dorsett Shoals Baptist Church in nearby Douglasville, to book the pastor for our nuptials.
When I met the pastor, Tom Kaplan, he spoke to me about his personal journey in finding God. He explained he had turned away from the Jewish faith from which he was raised after finding his true calling with Christianity.
“Can I book you for a wedding at my house please,” I said extending my hand to him.
“Hold on a minute, we need sit down and talk about this,” he said with a calm authority.
The pastor seemed quite surprised at my forward approach, but I was invited through to his office. He motioned at me to take a seat.
“So Jeanie, where are you at spiritually?” he asked me from across his desk.
Tom sat and listened as I discussed my faith, starting with my underprivileged childhood in Southend. I even recalled the story about being sent home from school for incessant crying as the whole class watched a film called King of Kings. I revealed that it was the first time I felt truly connected to Jesus Christ, after I witnessed the undying compassion for others that he embodied.
For me, the meeting with the pastor was refreshing, as I was able to discuss my life and convictions with someone who seemed genuinely interested in my beliefs.
“I can see that you’re a Christian Jeanie, but what about your partner? Is he a Christian?” he asked as he leaned into his chair.
It suddenly dawned on me that Steve and I had never talked about the concept of belief to any extent.
Whenever I would discuss my faith with Steve, he was usually dismissive. I could tell that it forced him out of his comfort zone, so I never pursued the issue.
Tom explained that we would both need to come to the church for counselling, emphasising that he needed to establish Steve’s views on spirituality. This was an essential process in order for the pair of us to be wed in a Christian service. He also said it would also be nice if we attended the church on a Sunday so he could see the ongoing commitment we were making to God as a couple on the road to matrimony.
Later that night, Steve and I spoke about my meeting with the Pastor. I asked if he would support the suggestion for counselling at the church.
“No way!” he declared, glaring at me with bewilderment.
When I went back to see Tom for the first session I was too embarrassed to tell him the truth and explain why Steve was not there. I suggested that his chaotic wrestling schedule prevented him from attending, but asserted that I was happy to start the counselling process on my own. I claimed that Steve would join us as soon as his schedule would permit him to do so.
“Well, let’s start,” Tom smiled.
A few days later, I went back to meet the staff at the church, and we started chatting over coffee and cake. From that day something just clicked, and I started to enjoy learning about the Christian faith.
I would intently listen to Tom’s sermons on a Sunday and, after he had finished speaking, I would leave to study up on the Bible. The next day I would bombard him with questions
on faith.
It interested me so much that I soon started a Bible study group so I could share my love of the teachings of Christ.
Regardless, I still couldn’t convince Steve to come along with me. I knew he never entirely approved of my rediscovered faith, or liked any of my new friends at the church, but I was happy and content. It gave me a renewed sense of purpose when he was on tour.
When Steve returned, I could no longer quell my feelings towards our wedding. I stated that I wanted to be married in the Church, surrounded by friends and family.
Speechless, he simply stared at the floor shaking his head, but he agreed.
I was no longer going to suppress my faith to suit Beverly’s hopes for a house marriage, and I was glad I stood my ground to be wed in the church.
It was originally Steve’s idea to get married but, instead of celebrating our union, it sometimes seemed that he was just keen to get hitched any way he could.
I could tell that he was not exactly enamoured with the thought of being baptised, but he acquiesced, knowing that it would give me a marriage I dreamed of since childhood.
Steve always maintained that it didn’t really matter to him where or how we were wed, but he knew that the church had become such a large part of my life. He told me that he did have some mild Christian beliefs but, most of all, he just wanted to be married.
I was surprised at Steve’s change of heart, but I figured that he had probably endured a lifetime restricted by Beverly’s stringent instructions. I sensed that he was actually relishing the idea of proving something to his mother with an overdue defiant act. The baptism was Steve’s way of proving to his mother that he was his own man. He was now in control of his own life.
On 12th December, Steve and I were scheduled to be baptised together in preparation for our wedding the following week. Although this was a large step in my personal commitment to Christianity, it was a day that I will mostly remember for all the wrong reasons.
As Steve and I ushered forward for our immersion, he lost his footing and ended up slipping. He fell headfirst into the pool of water and became completely soaked.
In all of the years I had seen Steve perform as a wrestler, I can honestly say that it was the most spectacular bump that I ever saw him take. He became incredibly flustered as he struggled to find his footing, emerging fully drenched. Once he got up, I looked at his dripping face, trying to suppress myself.
I could hold it no longer, and burst into fits of laughter. It wasn’t long before everyone in attendance was sharing in the hysterics. Nobody could believe what had just happened.
Leading up to our baptism, Beverly had made it clear that she objected to the service. We were mildly disappointed that she refused to attend, so the cacophony of chuckles from Steve’s wet tumble were more than welcome.
Our wedding had been set for 18th December 1993, which was also Steve’s birthday.
In the run up to the service, Jade was so happy to be a bridesmaid, and she looked forward to the big day with great excitement.
My other bridesmaid, my neighbour Ann, helped me plan the wedding. We arranged it all, from the flowers, to the music and everything else that would make the day so special.
Sadly, Beverly bore a grudge since I nixed her idea of a home wedding. She refused to bring any of Steve’s family to the wedding other than her husband Ken.
It was such a shame for Steve, and I felt bad for him.
My family all flew in from England and, with my stepfather Fred Wallace giving me away; I arrived at the church in the most beautiful white dress.
As I slowly walked down the aisle and towards the altar, I caught sight of Steve and smiled. He looked so handsome in his tuxedo. It was a huge relief that the service went without a hitch and the both of us had a lovely day.
I still have the videotape of the ceremony and it gives me warmth whenever I view it.
Steve and I were just so happy to be finally married.
We had already started to create a loving home for our children, but we were now, truly, a family.
Getting married to Steve, 1993.
13 INJURED PRIDE
After the wedding, our lives seemed to be going the way we wanted. Steve and I had created a loving base in Georgia, and our children, Jade and Stephanie, were both healthy and happy.
Steve’s dreams of singles stardom were finally coming true. Nine days after our wedding, he was booked on WCW’s final pay-per-view of the year, Starrcade 1993. It was the night that he would be crowned the new WCW United States Heavyweight Champion by ousting his long-time ring rival Dustin Rhodes in a two-out-of-three falls match for the title.
He was relieved that his career was finally going the way he wanted. He had been concerned that internal politics were the reason that The Hollywood Blonds had disbanded, but he was now starting to climb the upper ranks of WCW as the solo performer that he always wanted to be.
Once again, his efforts were being recognised by the office and his future with the company was looking promising. In the years prior, the holder of the United States title was considered the number one contender to the holder of the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. With hard work, Steve was certain that it was only a matter of time before he would get his chance to lead the promotion.
Beyond his ascension as a talent, a number of internal changes within WCW were also having a positive impact on our lives.
Eric Bischoff, who I only knew as a backstage interviewer when I first joined the promotion, had since been appointed to lead the management of WCW following the resignation of Bill Watts in the spring of 1993. Eric had started to restructure the finances of WCW in an effort to make it profitable, and one of his first decisions was to drop a significant portion of the non-televised events promoted by the company.
By the summer, he ceased the touring house shows which he identified had been making losses for the office. This actually meant that the contracted talent would work lesser dates but take home the same guaranteed income.
Another change that Eric instigated was the relocation of the company’s television tapings to the Disney/MGM Studios near Orlando, Florida. The crew would record multiple weeks’ worth, and in some cases months’ worth, of programming from this location, which resulted in a massive reduction in the production costs for the shows. Unlike the strict backstage environment that Watts had enforced, Eric encouraged the wrestlers to bring their families to the event. The Disney tapings provided a fantastic opportunity for us to visit Steve at work, as once the recording had finished we were able to explore the rest of The Walt Disney World Resort. It was a magical family experience as we delighted Stephanie with the parades and attractions of the theme park.
We were now able to spend more time as a family. Steve was working a lighter schedule, yet it did not affect his salary. Many of the stresses caused by touring were now alleviated, and the rigour on his body had been drastically reduced.
At long last, our family had received the greatest gift of all: time together.
It was important that we allowed Jade to see her dad, even though he was rarely in contact with her. In the years since we had moved to Atlanta, Chris had broken up with Toni and was in the process of a divorce. Having sustained a serious beating at the hands of Chris, leaving her with a broken nose, their marriage continued to deteriorate. After enduring repeated incidents of his chronic womanising, Toni eventually gave up, and was driven towards a relationship with Kerry Von Erich in the last few months of 1992. Unfortunately, she would suffer further heartbreak. Kerry committed suicide on 18th February 1993.
After splitting with Toni, Chris had started a new relationship and seemed happy again.
When he eventually came to visit Jade in January 1994, he was accompanied by his new girlfriend Brandi Freeman. The couple announced that they were four months pregnant. Steve still held a grudge with him, but any frictions the pair had were not visible during the visit. In fact, Chris’ stories of his recent wrestling tours of Israel had S
teve in fits of laughter.
We had discovered a great balance with Steve’s working life and essential family time. He cherished our children, and he never seemed to be too busy for them, even when he was on the road.
Whilst on tour, Steve’s body was struck by a bad case of gastroenteritis, and he was forced to come home. After he was cleared of his ailment, which inflamed his stomach and intestines, he went straight back to his performance schedule.
Within a few days of his return to work, Stephanie started looking off-colour. Still a very young infant, her condition deteriorated at a rapid pace, and she became quite ill. As she was continuously vomiting, I became worried so I took her to see the doctor. I was informed that a large fluid intake and dosage of antibiotics were needed to treat the infection. As a precaution, she was admitted to the hospital.
I called Steve to give him the update that his daughter was ill. I reassured him that Stephanie was going to be fine, but he felt powerless being on tour at another city. Immediately concerned, he needed to see her, and drove at least six hours just to be at her bedside. It was important for Steve that his daughter saw him too, and that his family knew that no distance would ever prevent him from coming home for his family. He stayed with her as long as he could, even though he would have to drive for a full day to make it to the next show. It was an act of kindness that I would never forget.
But I should have expected that from Steve, as he was always so caring towards the children. He loved to play games with them, have fun on the trampoline and take them out for fun rides on the four-wheeler. Happiness seemed to be something that radiated from Steve. He was a loving father, and he seemed really content in his role within WCW as he continued his reign near the top of the card.
Through The Shattered Glass Page 14
