Pro wrestler says he saved woman dangling from Calgary bridge

CALGARY — British-Canadian professional wrestler Davey Boy Smith Jr. says he drew on his years of grappling and selfdefence to help save the life of a woman dangling from a Calgary bridge.

In a post on his Facebook page, Smith Jr. said he was driving just west of the city’s downtown on Sunday when he saw a girl hanging off a bridge. “I stopped and jumped the barricade and tried talking to the girl,” wrote Smith Jr., son of “the British Bulldog” wrestler Davey Boy Smith.

“She was crying and an emotional mess and threatening to jump if I got closer. With people on the ground waving her not to jump, I decided to grab a hold of her and not take any chances.”

Smith Jr., whose real name is Harry Smith, said the girl was starting to slide as he tried to pull her to safety. “Luckily, [from] my years of grappling and selfdefence, I knew how to grab her HARD and how to pull her up from hanging off and jumping,” he wrote. “I knew not to grab her clothing because she would have ripped though it.”

He said he managed to pull her up and held her until police arrived. Smith Jr. said he told the girl “you’re not going to move unless I want you to, I’m an expert grappler.

Police arrived and took the girl into custody, Smith Jr. said.

“I’m really glad I saved a life,” he wrote. “Life is a precious thing folks. Never take it for granted. I’m glad I was at service to help somebody.”

Smith Jr. began wrestling at age eight and was trained by his father and uncle Bruce Hart, of the Hart wrestling family. He now works for New Japan ProWrestling.