Pro-wrestling is a messy business, and so for that matter is healthcare in this business. As John Oliver and others have discussed recently, WWE isn’t great at taking care of their workers, and stars of the past often have it even worse. Take Marty Jannetty, for example. The former Rocker is having trouble with his ankle, and he’s noticed he’s not the only wrestling legend with similar problems. He’s also not in a great financial place to get it fixed right now, as he explained in an interview with Wrestling Inc:
I’m having a problem with my ankle and it’s a hard adjustment from being a world-class athlete to having to gimp and use a crutch. When I look at guys that are my age like Iron Sheik – man he’s in a wheelchair. Duke ‘The Dumpster’ Droese – from his knee down he’s got a titanium leg. I see that and it hurts my feelings because I don’t wanna see them like that. I can only think what fans must think when they see us like that. Mine’s only a gimp, I can get it fixed. I don’t have health insurance so it’s gonna cost me a little bit. I could do it now, but then I’ll be broke. If I don’t make money after that, then where am I gonna eat?
This struggle between getting proper healthcare and being able to eat is all-too-common in the US, and it’s depressing to see someone like Jannetty dealing with it. But if you’re feeling inspired to reach for your wallet and help a guy out, hold your horses. Despite his friends’ best efforts, Marty’s not interested in crowdfunding from fans.
I love Joey [Janela]. He offered to help me, him and Chris Jericho to do a GoFundMe. Scott Hall had just gotten a shitload of money from the GoFundMe…. Here I come behind him and the first three or four comments were “Oh, all these drughead partiers blew their money and now they want us to pay.” I was like “No. Take it down. I don’t want that up there.” Because it does appear that way. And when you’ve been worldwide – it’s even harder…. I’m asking people for money that already paid me. When they showed up to the arena that night, they paid me. And now I’m asking for more? It’s just hard.
On the other hand, Jannetty is currently involved in a lawsuit against WWE, which will hopefully put him in a better position, but it’s a shame it has to come to that.
But it’s all on WWE. Because if you’re making a million off me last quarter, you can’t pay $40,000 to get my ankles fixed so I don’t need to OD on pain pills? That’s why I got in a lawsuit. The Rockers [going into the WWE] Hall of Fame will never happen because there’s a lawsuit in place. It can’t happen. I love all of them. I love Vince. I love Shane. I love Stephanie. I love them all…Linda, she was hardcore. But I love them all. Vince once told me, I think it was about Jesse Ventura when he was suing, ‘You have to separate business from personal life. What’s going on right now is business.’ That’s where I’m at and you’re the one who taught me it’s business. I don’t like it. But I don’t like walking in front of people with a gimp either.
