A new bridge in Canada has been named after Stu Hart in tribute to the wrestling legend and patriarch of the Hart wrestling family. The Stu Hart Memorial Bridge on highway 8 in Alberta had its name confirmed during a live ceremony. Bret ‘Hitman’ Hart, one of Stu’s children, spoke at the event.
“It’s really special for everybody in my family. When I think of something being named after my dad, it’s a bridge. It leads to bigger and better things. It’s always a way of moving forward. And the fact that it’s rock solid and so sturdy speaks to my father and the way he was as a man.”
Stu Hart made his wrestling debut in 1943 and would remain an active talent until his official retirement in 1986. During his life, he helped train several wrestlers, including his sons Bret, Owen, Smith, Bruce, Keith, Dean, and Ross. Other trainees of Stu include Chris Jericho, Mark Henry, Edge, Christian, and Jushin ‘Thunder’ Liger.
Outside of his dreaded ‘Dungeon,’ Stu appeared several times in WWE, often in the crowd supporting Bret. Stu died in 2003, joining his wife of 54 years Helen, who had passed two years earlier.
Already a WWE Hall of Famer and a recipient of the Order of Canada (the nation’s highest civilian honor,) the Stu Hart Memorial Bridge is the latest accolade for the wrestling legend. Even to this day, the impact that Stu Hart had on the professional wrestling world continues to be felt worldwide.