Part 2: What Made Chris Benoit Snap?
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What makes a 40-year-old man with an incredibly successful career, lots of money, a mansion, adoring fans, children, and a beautiful wife murder his family and then take his own life?
What turns someone known as a family man into a family annihilator?
Did anyone see the signs that Chris Benoit’s life was spiraling out of control? Why would a guy who seemed to have it all snatch the very breath out of his wife and child and then throw away his own existence?
In the beginning, before the investigation into the Benoit murders was complete, the public suspected everything from steroid abuse to marital conflict over the care of the Benoits’ son, who was incorrectly believed to be disabled.
The truth is, probably no single issue or event led to the Benoit family’s demise. It was likely a conglomeration of numerous problems that resulted in an avalanche of depression, paranoia, despair, and — in the end — violence.
Everyone has their theories, but we will never know the full story.
Spiraling Out of Control
Most of us have probably known someone who did something crazy and it didn’t come as that much of a shock because that person had always been troubled. That was not the case with Chris Benoit, at least not from the outside. I have yet to hear a single person who knew him say they could have predicted the carnage.
Grief and Depression
Loss can have a profound effect on the mind. In the wrestling business, loss is a common theme. Wrestlers often get fired and, sadly, the physical toll of working in the industry can ravage the body. Drug use often plays a role in the downfall of many wrestlers.
The pro wrestling industry is synonymous with early death.
Chris Benoit’s best friend was Eddie Guerrero, who once held the title of WWE champion. Like Chris, Guerrero was a small-in-stature wrestler who rose from the middle ranks to become a superstar. Both men fought their way to the top, overcoming the industry’s low expectations.
