Jim Ross isn’t sugarcoating Jerry Lawler’s recent health battles. After watching “The King” slowly make his way to a ceremony honoring him in Memphis, JR said wrestling fans should be grateful Lawler survived two strokes and is still here to enjoy the moment.
During Grilling JR, Ross discussed Lawler having a street named after him in his hometown. The street leads toward the high school attended by Lawler and longtime friend Jimmy Hart. Ross loved seeing Memphis give Lawler his flowers while he was there to receive them.
“Did you see online where The King got a street named after him? That was good. It was a cool deal.”
As Lawler walked from his vehicle to the podium, Ross noticed that his longtime broadcast partner was moving more slowly than he once did. JR could relate after dealing with his own serious health and mobility problems.
“I was watching him walk from his ride to the podium. He’s like me. He’s a little stoved up and walking a little slow.”
Ross said the physical struggles should not take anything away from the honor. After everything Lawler has done for Memphis, JR was happy to see the city put his name on a street tied directly to his past.
“I’m glad that, at this stage of his life, his hometown—which he has brought so much fame and notoriety to—renamed the street after him. It leads into his high school, where he and Jimmy Hart went to high school.”
The mood turned more serious when Ross addressed Lawler’s condition. He said The King appears to be improving, but there is no ignoring what his body has endured. Ross then put the entire situation into the bluntest possible terms.
“Jerry’s like me. He can’t get around quite as fast as he used to, obviously, but he seems to be feeling better.”
“A victim of two strokes—we’re just lucky he’s still alive, quite frankly.”
Ross also remembered appearing alongside Lawler at WrestleCon in Minneapolis. Despite their health problems and the difficulty of traveling, the legendary commentary team still drew long lines from fans who wanted to see them together again. For Ross, the fan response hit differently because many people already knew that both men had been through serious medical problems.
“The last appearance we made together was a great success. WrestleCon was very successful. We had long lines, and we signed a lot of pictures and autographs. It was cool.”
“Most of the people who came knew that I had been kind of sickly. It was very heartwarming and refreshing to interact with them because you could look in their eyes and see that they were sincere. It was just a blessing for me.”
Lawler may move more slowly these days, but he was there to see Memphis put his name on a street leading to his old high school. After two strokes, simply being present for that honor meant more than any wrestling match or championship ever could.
What did you think of Jerry Lawler receiving his own street in Memphis, and what is your favorite memory of The King? Leave your feedback in the comments.
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