Charles Austin is an American former
professional wrestler. He had been a college football standout at the
University of North Carolina and after graduating, developed an interest in professional wrestling, starting his own small promotion in his hometown.
In December 1990, after having trained for six months,
Austin traveled to a
World Wrestling Federation (WWF) show in
Tampa, Florida, where he approached WWF staff and offered his services as a
jobber, a wrestler whose job is to lose to a promotion's major stars and promote their image. He was subsequently assigned to work a tag-team match with
Lanny Poffo against
Marty Jannetty
Fredrick Martin Jannetty (born February 3, 1960) is an American professional wrestler who has worked for promotions including the World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment (WWF/E), the American Wrestling Association (AWA), World Championship Wres ...
and
Shawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom (born July 22, 1965), better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American retired professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE as Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative. Widely regarded as one of ...
, who at the time were known as
the Rockers. While the bulk of the match progressed normally, near the end, as Austin received Jannetty's finishing move, the "
Rocker Dropper
Professional wrestling throws are the application of professional wrestling techniques that involve lifting the opponent up and throwing or slamming them down. They are sometimes also called "power" maneuvers, as they are meant to emphasize a wrest ...
", his head struck the mat, breaking his neck and immediately paralyzing him.
The live event was taped for television, but never aired.
Austin would subsequently sue the WWF and Jannetty. In 1994, a jury awarded him $26.7 million
of which Jannetty had to pay $500,000.
The WWF appealed the ruling and eventually settled out of court for $10 million.
After this event, the WWF began using only experienced, contracted wrestlers.
In February 2015, Austin appeared on an NBC news broadcast in
Orlando, Florida
Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County, Florida, Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Greater Orlando, Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, acco ...
about pharmacists who were refusing to fill pain medication prescriptions regardless of their doctor's prescription.
In an ''
American Journal
''American Journal'' (alternately titled ''American Journal: Coast to Coast'' for its final season; also known as ''AJ'') is a syndicated television newsmagazine program that ran from 1993 to 1998. The series was distributed by King World Produc ...
'' broadcast in the 1990s, he had been able to move with the assistance of canes and was able to lift small amounts of weight with help from his son, however the 2015 broadcast showed him in a motorized wheelchair and complaining of significant pain.
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Austin, Chuck
American male professional wrestlers
American disabled sportspeople
Living people
People with tetraplegia
Place of birth missing (living people)
Professional wrestlers from Florida
Sportspeople from Florida
Wheelchair users
Year of birth missing (living people)