Natalya always tries to honor Stu Hart on his birthday.
She is the granddaughter of the legendary Stu Hart, and trained in the infamous Hart Dungeon to become a pro wrestler. Despite Stu passing away in 2003, Natalya tries to keep his memory alive as much as she can. She revealed this in an interview with The Wrestling Classic, where she said:
“I always try to make sure that, especially on social media, I keep my grandfather’s memory alive. On his birthday, I share memories and photos so that people who may not have known about Stu Hart can get a glimpse of who he was. He was such a huge part of building professional wrestling. Starting from when he established the dungeon in the early 50s. He bought the Hart House and started the dungeon, laying the foundation for professional wrestling.”
“Wrestling was his heart and soul. No matter how hard a situation could be, and our family has been through a lot, both great and challenging things, my grandfather always tried to find a positive. I just try to keep my grandfather’s name alive. He taught me how to stay strong through the hard times. And it’s something that’s gotten me through my life, especially being in the world of professional wrestling for 17 years. It’s been a roller coaster, but I learned a lot from my grandfather and from the dungeon about staying strong and surviving.”
Natalya Knew She Wanted To Be A Wrestler On Her First Day In The Dungeon
Natalya was asked what made her want to become a professional wrestler. She revealed that as soon as she entered the Hart Dungeon, she knew she wanted to join the family business.
“When I first stepped foot in the dungeon and had my very first training day with TJ Wilson and Harry Smith, to my very, very first day in the dungeon, I knew that I was addicted. I was hooked. I felt excited, really excited. It was like a drug, you know? Once you start doing something that makes you feel good, that fulfills you and makes you excited about waking up,” Natalya explained, “that’s what the dungeon was for me. That’s what training and those first practice sessions, especially with TJ, Harry, my uncles Bruce and Ross, and Tokyo Joe, were like.”
“They were so much fun and so hard. My uncles helped me a lot, especially during those impressionable years. They taught me how to build a foundation, the true dungeon style. From the moment I stepped foot in the dungeon for my very first training day, I knew I wanted to be a professional wrestler.”
A life-changing experience
Despite coming from an iconic wrestling family, Natalya’s father wasn’t sure about her becoming a wrestler. She revealed that her dad, WWE Hall of Famer Jim ‘The Anvil’ Neidhart, was hesitant about her becoming a wrestler. He was worried she would break her neck and suffer other injuries in the ring.
“But when I went to Japan and had an amazing experience, it was life-changing for me. As he started to see my success in wrestling, he became happier for me,” she explained. “I think all dads are a little like that, protective and worried about their kids.”
