Wrestler Chris Benoit Kills Wife, Son with Fragile X, and Himself
June 27, 2007 by Kristina Chew, PhD
Filed under Crime, Fragile X, Sports
Canadian wrestler Chris Benoit’s 7-year-old son is reported to have had Fragile X: Last Friday, Benoit killed his son, Daniel, his wife and himself in their Georgia home. The sad details are in this article. The June 26th News 1130 (Vancouver) reports:
Pam [Winthrope]’s 12-year-old son has the condition and she said in an effort to shed light on the syndrome, her husband called Chris Benoit about five years ago.
She said, “We talked to him because I was trying to set up a support group in BC and in Canada, we only have a couple of them. My husband was struggling when we got diagnosed with our son, and Chris was struggling with his. They talked for a few minutes and then he said he didn’t want to be a public face for Fragile X, he just wanted to keep it really, really quiet.”
Winthrope said she couldn’t believe the news that Benoit had taken his life along with his wife and 7-year-old son. She added that families can be torn apart by the disease because it’s very difficult to find help and support. She said, “You as a parent have to go out there and find what’s available and it’s not easy –they don’t tell you.”
The PW Torch provides a more extensive discussion of Benoit—nicknamed (in terrible irony) the “Canadian Crippler”—the WWF, and steroid use.
For another perspective on raising children with Fragile X, see
Also see Fragile What? Read & See! by the mother of two children with Fragile X.
Charlie and I just got back from Target—he was not only smiling on entering, but smiled the whole time as he pushed the cart (twice into my ankle). At one point I saw a mother, a tall woman, and then saw the concentration on her face as she held her daughter’s hand. The daughter had braces on both legs and swayed, and said a few words; we stood behind them in the check-out line, the daughter gripping the plastic wrapping of a pack of Gatorade bottles to steady herself. Charlie had put both a can of Pringles and some Swedish fish into the cart and was jumping and pacing a bit.
Life with a disabled child need not be a tragedy, this makes what some are calling the “Benoit Family Tragedy even sadder, and more awful.
Jeff Stimpson
Jill Cornfield
Sad, sad, sad.
Anything more that I would say in regards to the Benoits would just be speculation so I won’t.
I did want to tell you, Kristina, that my daughter and Charlie sound similar in many ways, and thank you for finishing on the note that although life may be different, it is still pretty good…for all of us. Thanks for AutismVox.
Ugh. This is the first I heard about his son’s condition - the past articles have said nothing about it. So far, the only speculation has been “‘Roid rage,” which WWE is refuting by describing the deliberateness of the murders. I really hope his son’s condition does not become the focus of everyone’s armchair analysis of why Benoit snapped.
This article starts by noting Daniel’s disability and his parents’ concerns about finding a school for him as he had finished kindergarten—-the article also notes that Benoit received products from Signature Pharmacy and MedXLife.com: “Six people, including two of the pharmacy’s owners, have pleaded guilty in the investigation, and 20 more have been arrested, including doctors and pharmacists.” (link)
One of Joey’s ABA therapists has a brother with Fragile X. It is wonderful how she talks about him- proud as peacock and pleased as punch. He brings her and her family a lot of joy- just like any other brother.
Yes, it can be difficut to get apropriate support and information. That doesn’t make your child any less of a human being, a loving member of the family. There is simply no excuse for killing another human being like this- that little boy was most likely loved and will be missed. His mother was most likely loved and will be missed. What insanity is this?
This is such a horrible tragedy, and though many thinks it shed a bad light on FXS, I think it could be a positive. It is promoting awareness.
Sally Nantais, an awesome FX mom, posted a wonderful letter/plea at this link: http://www.pwtorch.com/artman/publish/article_20689.shtml.
And thanks autismvox for posting a link to my website, Fragile What? Read & See!. I hope that I do the FXS justice.
I have read that he was giving the boy injections of human growth hormone. What a wasted opportunity for a celebrity to bring positive attention to a cause. Rest in peace Daniel.
Sounds like he was ashamed of his son, both for his diagnosis and his small size.
Neither parents seemed very “with it” in regards to life in general.
I will never presume to know what it is like to walk in another’s shoes, or know what is going on behind someone else’s closed doors. What I do know, is that tonight, I will hold my kids a little tighter, and be thankful for the wonderful, supporting and loving father that they have.
This is a photograph of Daniel and Chris Benoit.
Hi,
I’m a father of two children with Autism.
Why in your article does the first word state,
Canadian wrestler.
He has lived in the U.S. for years. Why does it
matter he is from Canada. It almost sounds
like your trying to say Canadians who have
children disorders will resort to killing them.
Where he is from does not matter.
What matters is a man killed his wife and son
which is wrong.
Yes, that is what matters. Hope things are well with your family.
only GOD knows who killed the Benoits. My prayers and Tears are for the whole family. Chris looks so much like my little brother and hes always been my favorite wrestler. MAY JESUS TAKE CARE OF ALL OF THEM…. MY HEART GOES OUT TO ALL OF THERE FAMILIES… GOD BLESS YOU ALL…
I didn’t think she was implying that.
There a definately some Canadians who murdered disabled children, such as Tracy Latimer (girl with severe CP murdered by her father). Personally, I think it’s probably about equal between Canada and US.
Thank you, Ettina, and I’ve had Tracy Latimer’s story on my mind.