10 Things WWE Fans Should Know About Curt Hennig's Life Outside Wrestling

Curt Hennig lived by his nickname, Mr. Perfect, whenever he was anywhere near the wrestling ring. Aside from being one of the best technicians of all time, he was also a vibrant commentator during his second WWE run while recovering from a back injury. Hennig also took on managerial roles for luminaries like Ric Flair and Triple H. The two-time Intercontinental Champion made up for the lost time in the 2002 Royal Rumble by showing flashes of his brilliance.

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Sadly, his colorful life abruptly ended in 2003 due to acute cocaine intoxication. He also took steroids and painkillers to deal with injuries. Despite his unfortunate passing, the wrestling world remembers him as one of the industry's greatest entertainers, whether a heel or a babyface. However, Hennig's life outside the ropes is as thrilling as his superb performances. Here are fascinating details about the late WWE Hall of Famer, who was also a Hall of Fame son, father, and friend.

10 His Dad Was More Than Just A Professional Wrestler

Curt's father, Larry "The Axe" Hennig, inspired him to become a wrestler. The father-and-son tandem also won the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship. But Larry and his wife Irene started a real estate company after retiring from sports entertainment. The older Hennig also worked as an auctioneer and ventured into commodity futures for CME Dairy.

9 Studied At Robbinsdale High School

In his podcast, "83 Weeks," former WWE executive Eric Bischoff described Hennig's alma mater as a "blue-collar type of high school." The younger Hennig competed for the school's Greco-Roman wrestling team. Unfortunately, Robbinsdale closed in 1982 due to declining enrollment. However, its imprint in professional wrestling is indelible because it produced talents like Mean Gene Okerlund, Verne Gagne, and Hennig's childhood friend, Ravishing Rick Rude.

8 Met His Wife, Leonice, In High School

In the 2008 WWE documentary "The Life and Times of Mr. Perfect," Leonice Hennig revealed that his husband made funny faces at him to attract her attention while he was delivering a speech during their 10th-grade English class. The antic worked as they went on a movie date to watch "Night of the Living Dead." The Hennigs got married in 1978 and had four children.

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7 Had A Football Background

Hennig followed his dad's footsteps not just in the squared circle but also in the gridiron. Larry received a football scholarship from the University of Minnesota but quit the sport due to the need to raise a family. Meanwhile, Curt played football at Normandale Junior College but focused on wrestling at Robbinsdale.

6 Curt Was A Devoted Family Man

While his profession took him on the road extensively, Leonice revealed that he made it just in time for the birth of their first child, Joseph, in 1979. He was also there when his wife conceived Amy, Katie, and Hank in 1981, 1987, and 1992, respectively. Joseph, also known by his in-ring name Curtis Axel, shared that his dad was always there for every athletic event or baseball game he had growing up.

5 A Natural Comedian

Larry remembered Curt as a person who was always smiling since he was young. Likewise, Mr. Perfect was also a top-notch prankster by putting cream on telephone receivers or baby powder on blow dryers. He would also apply mustard and lighter fluid on somebody's trousers. He also left a mark on the potty of Road Warrior Hawk's son during a house party.

RELATED: Why "Mr.Perfect" Curt Hennig Never Became A Top Star For WWE

4 Great Friends With Wade Boggs

The WWE Hall of Famer and the Baseball Hall of Famer met at a banquet dinner in Rochester, New York. Then, they worked together on one of the Mr. Perfect vignettes wherein Hennig scored a homerun. They also shared a common interest in hunting and fishing, going on trips in British Columbia and the Florida Keys. Boggs shared that Hennig caught a 180-pound tarpon fish and a 650-pound bull shark that became a wall display in his home.

3 A Life Saver

Boggs shared how Hennig saved his life during a hunting trip in Iowa. About a half mile into their walking, the one-time World Series champion got tangled in a barbed wire fence and was suspended upside down. Hennig removed the wire, but Boggs had a gash from knee to ankle and broke his collarbone. The decorated professional wrestler carried Boggs for three-quarters of a mile and drove him to a nearby hospital. The doctor remarked that the baseball legend could have bled to death if Hennig did not decide to hunt deer together.

2 Hunting And Fishing Is A Family Tradition

Larry took his son on his first hunting trip at "three or four years old." Since then, Curt would go on expeditions with family and friends when he was not delivering the Perfectplex to opponents. He also passed on his passion to his children, as Joseph recalled their nature explorations.

1 A Natural Athlete

While wrestling became his ticket to fame, Larry shared that his son performed well in any sport. In the same documentary, the older Hennig said, "I don't care if it was bowling, golf, tennis, swimming, or diving. It didn't make any difference. He'd find a way to excel." No wonder the persona that made him a wrestling immortal was out of central casting, and the Mr. Perfect vignettes became second nature to him. Shawn Michaels also shared that he would hit the bullseye on the dart board whenever they made a quick stop at a bar on their way to their next wrestling location.