Natalya Reveals Hidden Health Battle Her Father Jim Neidhart Faced Before His Death

Natalya Neidhart is finally telling the story her family kept under wraps for years—the heartbreaking health decline of her father, wrestling legend Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart.

Speaking with Jann Arden on her podcast, Natalya opened up about the pain of watching her dad suffer behind closed doors. The Hart family believed he was battling Alzheimer’s, but later learned his condition was more complex—likely rooted in decades of brutal brain trauma.

“Before my dad died, we had assumed and we were told by so many different people that most likely my dad had Alzheimer’s because of the symptoms that he was exhibiting, the way he was acting,” she explained. “And then my grandmother on my dad’s side, she had Alzheimer’s. So, we were able to really document the health journey that my dad was on and after my dad died, we were able to really discover more of what was going on.”

Natalya says the root cause may have dated back to her dad’s early football days—long before he stepped into a wrestling ring.

“My dad suffered from a brain injury for most of his life. So, you know, how could you not—like how many blows to the freaking head do you take as a professional wrestler?” she said. “Even before WWE, my dad started playing football when he was 11 years old and they just weren’t using helmets. So my dad was already exhibiting issues before he even came to WWE.”

The WWE star wrestled with the idea of including this personal story in her new book, The Last Hart Beating, fearing it would betray her dad’s privacy. But in the end, she chose transparency to help others facing similar struggles.

“My family, my sisters and I, my close immediate family, we always kept it a secret from the world. And then I thought—there are so many other people out there going through something like this with their loved ones. They need to know they’re not alone.”

Natalya’s decision to open up shows a different side of the WWE world—one filled with real-life challenges that often go unseen behind the spotlight. Her message is simple: even the strongest heroes face battles outside the ring.

Have you ever dealt with a loved one facing a brain injury or memory loss? Does Natalya’s story change how you see the toll wrestling can take? Share your experience in the comments—we’d love to hear your thoughts.

Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.