Owen Hart would have been 59 years old on May 7, had he not died in a tragic accident at WWE Over the Edge 1999. As a member of the prestigious Hart Family, Owen has no shortage of relatives still active in the business, and keeping his memory alive, including his niece Natalya. “This is one of my favorite photos of Owen… outside the Hart House, probably ready to play a practical joke on someone,” Natalya wrote on X, sharing a picture of Owen as a young man. “Remembering Owen on his birthday today. Long live the King of Harts.” Hart was famous, or infamous, for his prankster spirit, which often found him playing increasingly complex ribs on his colleagues. Natalya also dedicated her first-round match in this year’s Queen of the Ring tournament to Owen.

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This is one of my favorite photos of Owen… outside the Hart House, probably ready to play a practical joke on someone. Remembering Owen on his birthday today. Long live the King of Harts. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/3s01qW5RiZ

— Nattie (@NatbyNature) May 7, 2024

A former WWE World Tag Team Champion and Intercontinental Champion, Owen Hart died during a stunt gone awry in 1999, which should’ve seen the wrestler, dressed as a superhero parody named The Blue Blazer, be safely lowered to the ring. Instead, a malfunction led to Hart plummeting from the rafters of Kansas City’s Kemper Arena (now the Hyvee Arena).

Hart’s legacy isn’t just carried on by the Hart family anymore, as AEW began running men’s and women’s tournaments called the Owen Hart Cup in 2022. The tournaments are presented in conjunction with the Owen Hart Foundation, which was founded by Owen’s widow Dr. Martha Hart to provide college scholarships for Canadian children in need.

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