This was posted on the mailing list at mattfurey.com today:
Subject: Pro Wrestler William Regal Saved By Combat Conditioning
Date: Thu, 1 Jul 2004 17:19:23 -0400
Pro Wrestler William Regal Saved By Combat Conditioning
In the past I've told you about pro wrestlers following the Combat Conditioning lifestyle. The most notable being Vampiro - aka Ian Hodgkinson, who flat out stated that it saved his life.
Today I just received word that another pro wrestler, this one who almost joined the ranks of the dead, sent the following email. I wanted to share it with you as it is incredibly inspiring:
Dear Mr Furey,
Hope you are well.
My name is Darren Matthews and I have been a professional wrestler for over twenty years and now I am currently employed at WWE.
In March of 2003 I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure after contracting an unknown viral infection. I gained over 40 pounds of fluid and when I was hospitalized my heart was only working at fifteen percent pumping capacity.
I spent a week in hospital, three days of which I had eight wires coming out of a hole in my neck. I had a very abnormal heart rhythm and resting heart rate was 180. I was told that I was probably going to have a heart transplant and that my active lifestyle would be over.
I thought for a second, "Well, you've had a great life and done everything you wanted to do so I can't complain." But then I thought bollocks (I'm English) I'll get over this like I've gotten over every other obstacle in my life.
I had to have my heart stopped and restarted which put it back into normal rhythm and sent home with instructions to take it easy with seven different types of medication.
The next day I thought "How can I sort this out?" I remembered always being told about conditioning and all the wrestlers that I knew such as Pete Roberts, Terry Rudge, Johnny Saint, Dave Taylor, and many others who did this kind of training always looked great and healthy.
Now, I'd always done bits of conditioning training, mostly squats and the wheel, but was always lazy when it came to pushups and hindu pushups (That I always knew to be catdips), so I thought it's time to take this conditioning training seriously. I typed hindu squats into my computer's search engine and your name appeared everywhere so I ordered Combat Conditioning from you and got to work.
I could go on and on about the last fifteen months, but I won't. But I will say that now at thirty-six (36) I am fitter and healthier than I have ever been and was cleared to wrestle and pronounced completely healthy.
So thanks to you I can continue with my life and career. Thank You.
Yours sincerely,
Darren Matthews (William Regal)
M.F.: Darren, thanks so much for sending this. I am deeply moved. I send you my very best. Please contact my office as I would like to send you something special. You're the best.
