WWE icon Mick Foley calls for Chris Benoit’s wife Nancy to be named to Hall of Fame after connecting with her sister
WWE legend Mick Foley has called for Chris Benoit's tragically murdered wife Nancy to be inducted into the Half of Fame after connecting with her sister.
Over a three-day period between June 22 and 24, 2007, Benoit killed his wife Nancy and suffocated their seven-year-old son, Daniel, before hanging himself at their family home in Fayetteville, Georgia.
Despite paying tribute to Benoit initially, after the murder was discovered the WWE have since erased the former champion from their history completely.
But after ring legend Foley connected with Nancy's sister Sandra Toffoloni online, he wants the former WWE star to be honoured in an attempt to have her tragic life remembered in a different way.
Foley wrote online: "I would love to see Nancy inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame - under whatever name or character her family and WWE collectively decide.
"For her work as Fallen Angel, I believe she deserves to be included. For her work as Woman during her first run in WCW – when she feuded with Rick Steiner, managed Doom, and managed The 4 Horsemen - I believe she deserves to be included.
"For her run in ECW, and her second run with WCW - where she helped create a fascinating angle that blurred the line between storyline and reality - I believe she deserves to be included.
"Inducting Nancy Toffoloni into the WWE Hall of Fame is the right thing to do. Let us remember her, and define her for who she was and what she did in life."
Foley worked closely with Nancy in ECW, during his feud with the Sandman in 1995.
For the past thirteen years, Nancy Benoit’s life has been largely defined in the public eye by how she died. I think it’s about time we changed that way of thinking. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could pause for a moment to remember instead, how she lived, how she worked, and to reflect on what her legacy in pro wrestling should be?
Mick Foley
And after Benoit moved to the WWE in 2000, Foley began seeing her again more frequently.
The tragic death of Benoit, his wife and son, was documented on a series called 'Dark Side of the Ring', which Foley narrated.
After reconnecting with Nancy's sister, as well as his involvement in the documentary, Foley believes now is the time to honour the late WWE star.
He said: "For the past thirteen years, Nancy Benoit’s life has been largely defined in the public eye by how she died. I think it’s about time we changed that way of thinking.
"Wouldn’t it be nice if we could pause for a moment to remember instead, how she lived, how she worked, and to reflect on what her legacy in pro wrestling should be?
"'Dark Side of the Ring' did an excellent job of uncovering truths behind the shocking 2007 murder/suicide of Nancy, Daniel and Chris Benoit.
"In the aftermath of the Spike documentary, fans and historians once again pondered the way that Chris Benoit - one of the finest performers our business has ever seen - should be remembered.
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"It’s an important discussion. But equally important to me, is that several fans, started talking about the career of Nancy Benoit, and how she should be remembered.
"For the first time I can recall, talk surfaced of Nancy possibly being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame - a topic I had never really considered it before.
"But seeing the “Dark Side of the Ring”, reestablishing contact with Sandra, and looking back on Nancy’s career these past couple of weeks has been an eye-opener for me."