Chris Kanyon, really Christopher Klucsaritis, came out as one of professional wrestling’s first openly gay competitors.
Seems like that even after Christopher Klucsaritis’s recently reported suicide, those associated with Googlesphere nevertheless only care about his sexual orientation. Forget that the 6-foot-5, 250-pound Christopher Klucsaritis was found dead in his Queen apartment with “scores of pills” near his body, as reported by the New York Daily News. Forget that he had a successful career within the World Championship Wrestling and WWE which included a run within the WCW championship tag team “Men at Work,” that he was friendly, that he was outgoing, and that he was only forty years old.
According to those who use Google right now, “Chris Kanyon comes out” is much more important.
Bravery is at least indicated by “Chris Kanyon comes out”
Around the time that Chris Kanyon comes out, Out Sports grabs an interview. The magazine was told the following by Klucsaritis:
“People cannot say I’m just doing to make a name for myself; I’ve already made a name for myself. I’ve already accomplished almost every one of my goals in wrestling… Coming out isn’t about me. This is, hopefully, about helping others, especially kids, who are struggling with their sexuality. I want to be a role-model to them, someone they can look up to.”
So Chris Klucsaritis didn’t do it for his career or for public purposes. He did this, no matter the macho wrestling community might say, out of concern for others. That takes guts.
A big deal to the gay sports community
It is big news that Chris Kanyon comes out. Looking back at his former wrestler, author and colleague Mick Foley (aka “Mankind”) said on his MySpace blog that he wishes “there was more tolerance within the world, so that people wouldn’t have to struggle so hard and go through so much emotional pain just to live the life they want to.”. He wishes that Chris Kanyon can discover peace, which he was obviously lacking from his apparent suicide, and that others who may be struggling with depression or other related illnesses might look to professionals, friends, and family for care and support.
Maybe depression became a danger to him just as it did for many professional athletes who could no longer perform as they did once before. Foley acknowledges others within the wrestling brotherhood who have crashed after the cheers have died.
“I really wish there was some kind of emotional crash pad for wrestlers to land on when the bright lights dim, or when injuries take their toll, or when one is finally forced to face the fact that the next big break just might not come around.”
Chris Kanyon already came out, in 2006.
Googlers need to be concerned more about how Christopher Klucsaritis lived.
