Dawn Marie & Bill Watts Comment On ‘Dr Death’, More

We always talk about the angles up in heaven, and how they are there watching and guiding us. We always look up into the sky when we talk about angles and their work. The truth is the real angles are here on earth walking amongst us. They are the ones that were placed on earth to guide us and help us through our stay. Doc was an angle of this earth and only those who he has touched can truly understand what I am about to say. Docs work here is done and now God has rewarded him with peace and eternal rest.

I did not have the pleasure of knowing him when he was an adolescent, a great football player, or an amazing wrestler. I met Doc many years later after he retired and I had left the business and started Wrestlers Rescue. I started to receive these emails and letter in my mailbox from a young lady named Melonie. She wrote to me religiously begging me to find away to help Steve receive a hands free voice box. Her mail and emails haunted me. I could not get them out of my head. One night at about 4am in the morning I was lying in bed and I couldn’t sleep. I didn’t know why but I just seemed too preoccupied to relax enough to fall off to sleep.

Finally, out of nowhere it all came clear. I realized that I was supposed to do something with the letters. I can remember that night. It was just one of those nights that seemed like so many others. But today I remember it as if it were just last night. I remember texting my friend and right hand person with Wrestlers Rescue, Marty “Are you awake?” He instantly answered “yes I can’t sleep”. How ironic right? I started to tell him of these letters I was receiving from Melonie and how I can’t seem to get them out of my head. I then told him I’m supposed to do something with this. I am being told do something!

We continued to talk and we came up with the 1st draft to the Dr. Death Campaign. By this time it was about 7am and I knew I couldn’t call this stranger that early in the morning to tell him of the plans we had just come up with. Finally, it was late enough in the morning to call and I did. I remember this raspy voice answering and saying “hello”. I then introduced myself and told him of the foundation and what we would like to try and do to help him. Little did I know that this was going to be about how he was going to help me.

As the days followed I started to learn about him. You see I had only met him once in my career and it was at an appearance in NJ. That day I walked over to him and introduced myself, handed him my card and explained briefly what the foundation was about. I believe the foundation was only a few months old at that time. He placed his thumb over his stoma and said sweetheart it was a pleasure to meet you. He followed with digging into a bag he had on the cafeteria table with the rest of his stuff and pulled out a card for me and said “Sweetheart …if ever anything I can do for you” and placed it in my hand. I then peered down at his card and it was peaceful it had this giant hand absorbing a beam of light. I never saw a card like this but it looked like a safe place to be. Again, not knowing this man was going to be carrying me in his giant hand and showing me the light one day.

I started to call wrestlers from his era and started to inform them who I was and what Wrestlers Rescue was trying to do for their friend and fellow worker. By the time I had finished my conversations, I had realized they all had a common thread. They all gushed about what a great man he was, what a tremendous worker he was, how respected he was, how people looked up to him and were so proud of him on how he faced Cancer and won. I used the word faced because I feel after talking to those people CANCER didn’t have a fighting chance. By the end of the month and hearing multiple stories that all sounded like the first I had to called Steve right away. I remember I was driving down the highway in my car and I called.

I started our conversation by telling him, “Doc…. I have never ever heard so many nice stories about one human being in my entire life or about anyone in this crazy business of ours”. I said “usually you bring up someone’s name and you either get a great story or you get their ok”. Of Which the OK means they don’t care for you and would probably say worst if the wrestling world wasn’t so political. I proceeded to tell him how much everyone loved him and that people just gushed over him whenever his name came up and that I felt like I have known him for years.

I also told him “I feel like I was right there with you throughout your career I have heard so much”. He was so happy he even began to cry a bit. He was so overwhelmed that people felt that way about him. I think it was so overwhelming to him because he never thought what he did or how he interacted with people was anything special. He was just himself without motive; no reason other than he was a genuine person and human being. He treated others better than he probably expected other to treat him. I am so happy I took the time to tell him that day because he was such a humble person I don’t think he would have realized how so many people loved him, respected him and looked up to him.

Through this period of time I spent with Steve I learned to love the business again. He showed me why I started in the first place. He gave me my business back. This business is usually only given to someone once if they are lucky enough. This is when we are learning and striving to become someone great. The veterans of the business chose you and take their time to give you there knowledge to help you achieve what is in your heart. The first time I was given this business it was from Jimmy Snuka. He took the time to teach me his love for his business. Somewhere along the way I got lost and lost it. Through working with Doc I found that love for the business and the people in it again.

Recently, God directed him back to me to teach me my final lesson. He had an appearance here in NJ again, where I live and that I also happened to be appearing on. This was only the second appearance in my career we ever crossed paths. The first was where we met and the second was our good-bye. I just didn’t know it yet. We made plans to spend some time together while he was here. We talked about him coming to my home and meeting my children. But as usual, life got in the way and I was called off to work somewhere else immediately after the show so I had to rush off. We never did get together and he never had the chance to meet my babies or as he use to call them blessings when we talked about them in our many conversations throughout the campaign. That day came and went and with the hustle and bustle of the day I only had moments with him. Had only I known they would be my last. I feel that the last lesson I needed to learn from him was to slow down, live in the moment and enjoy your blessings!

Doc, you were my angel. It is pretty ironic because you use to call me angel and never Dawn and I know in many interviews you also referred to me as that. But the truth was you were mine.…I not yours. You taught me many of life’s lessons in our too short relationship. I hope one day when my jobs here on this Earth are done, you will be one of the set of eyes there welcoming me and telling me thank you for hearing me and enjoying your life.

Another ‘stud’ has transitioned to be with God in Christ… and one thing ‘I know for sure’…

Jesus Christ is Steve’s Hero… so he no longer is having to fight the cancer… Steve right now is in Heaven’s rest…forever… and he was met there by His Savior…Jesus Christ…

He fought that fight against cancer…like Doc fought everything that challenged him… with the heart of a champion… and he thought he had overcome it…when he went back to MD Anderson at the 5 year anniversary for what he felt would be ‘his last check-up’ that would pronounce him cancer-free…but instead was told…’it was back’…

And he set out to ‘beat it again’… he so wanted to live for his son…

Scandar Akbar called to tell me he was just with Doc two weeks ago back east… and Ann from WWE also called…and she saw him there too…

There is to be a ‘reunion’ of the wrestlers from the Golden Years at OU…on Jan. 22nd… and Doc would have loved that… he will be missed…

At my age… it seems like we are losing so many of our peers… but to hear of one ‘younger transitioning’ is really sad…

Yes…knowing Doc is with the Lord… is to know in Christ we have victory over death…but still we mourn his passing…

I remember when he was a freshman at OU…and my good friend…Stan Abel… his wrestling coach there…called me and said…you must get down here and meet Steve…he will be a fabulous ‘professional wrestler’ once he has finished his eligibility here at OU…

And …he ‘ALREADY’ has ‘the name’… of ‘Dr. Death’…

He was named by his teammates and classmates in high school in Colorado…when he was wrestling…and had broken his nose…so wore a ‘hockey mask’…and they started calling him Dr. Death…

He also played football for Barry Switzer’s OU Sooners…and made the All-Big Eight team as a guard… and later played in the World Football League professionally in NJ.

But as an amateur wrestler at OU…he was a 4 time All-American!

I saw him compete at the NCAA Championships in Iowa his senior year… (He had injured his sternum in the Nebraska game in football…so was limited in his workouts that wrestling season)… but he beat the reigning and returning Heavyweight Champion…Banack in the semi-finals…and was ‘out-pointed’ by Baumgardner in the finals… (Baumgardner went on to become an Olympic Champion too…and had a long and illustrious amateur wrestling career)…while Doc went ‘pro’ in both football….and then in wrestling…breaking-in as my protégé in Mid-South Wrestling…

Another amateur wrestling memory…Doc had played with the Sooner football team at a ‘Bowl Game’…and flown right into Baton Rouge for a wrestling match against LSU…

Now ‘wrestling shape’ and ‘football shape’ are two completely different things… and being in great wrestling shape is much more demanding…especially in just the constant ‘gripping’ of your opponent…those muscles wear out so fast… plus the aerobics …as there ‘is no time between plays…

I was there that night…and figured ‘Doc’ would just do ‘as good as he could’…for the team…since he was NOT in wrestling shape…

But Doc toughed it out against a good Heavyweight…and beat him! And that impressed me…

His career in ‘the pro-wrestling business’ is legendary…

But…his heart too was as big as he is… and he even saved his friend…Bam-Bam Terry Gordy…once in Japan…when Bam-Bam was overdosing on some substance…and he even got Bam-Bam into the gym…and working out…and helped motivate him to fight his substance abuse problems for a time… Doc would ‘give of himself’…

My last time with him at OU was when we presented him with a plaque on the 50 yard line of an OU-Missouri football game…and Barry Switzer loved it…he was a true friend to his players too…(I’ll try to attach one of the pictures we took that day)…

Now…life is a ‘series of snap-shots’…as ‘we make this journey’… and Doc was ‘brought to the Lord’…and confessed Jesus Christ as His Savior! And he loves Christ… and his faith was strong…and so encouraged so many…

And when he first ‘got sick’…he trusted God in that challenge too…

That measures Doc in what is truly the most important way…his faith… He is now in the Hall-of-Faith in Heaven…and already reunited with his dad…and those he loved who preceded him…

***Just got a call from Doc’s brother Jeff…and here are the details…

Doc’s ‘opening in his throat’ had increased to where it was about an inch and a half… so Jeff said you could ‘see inside his throat’… and the doctors had told him…that it was so close to major arteries and organs…that ‘it could happen at anytime’… and that if a major artery ruptured…the bleeding could be difficult to control…or get under control in time…

Apparently about 1 AM…he was bleeding…and trying to ‘clear his throat’ so he ‘could breathe’… he was suffocating…

He came into his mother’s room…she is now 87 years old… and she called 911 on her neck monitor… and Doc fainted…

The emergency medical team resuscitated him three times… but the third time ‘his heart gave out’… (He was such a fighter!)

His son…Wyndom Carlton Williams…was spared seeing this…because he was spending the night with a friend…and there was nothing this 17-year-old boy could have done… He so loves his dad…they were so close…

Jeff… is naturally really shook-up…as he and Steve were so close too… and said he would let me know as soon as the arrangements are made for the funeral…

He too rejoices that Steve is with the Lord right now…

He said Steve wanted to be cremated…and his ashes scattered in the Rocky Mountains where his father’s ashes were scattered…

And now my friends… I too will close this letter… and spend some time with my Lord praising Him for ‘making provision’ for all of us who will but accept Him… that we do NOT die as in some void…but it is a ‘transition’ to be with Jesus…

I do NOT fully understand or grasp God’s perfect timing…but this ‘I trust’…that ‘His timing is perfect’… and Heaven is such a ‘better place’… and my dear friend Steve is there now…

Rom 8:1
8 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
NASB

John 3:16-18
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.
“For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him.
“He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
NASB

As the apostle Paul wrote:

Phil 1:21-23 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose.
But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better;
NASB

Phil 3:20-21
20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;
21 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.
NASB

As our ‘being baptized symbolizes’ our dying to this life and resurrecting with Christ to Heaven’s rest…
Rom 6:8-10
8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,
9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him.
10 For the death that He died, He died to sin, once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
NASB

Matt 6:19-21
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
“But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;
for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
NASB

Ps 118:24
24 This is the day which the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
NASB

Let each of us now take this time to tell those we love of our heart for them… because we never know when they too will be called…