Natalya Neidhart has made plenty of friends in the wrestling business.
In her latest blog for the Calgary Sun, Natalya detailed her lifelong friendship with WWE Hall of Famer Beth Phoenix. Natalya began by telling the story of how both ladies lost their fathers within weeks of each other. And how they both made sure to be by each others side during the trying times.
"The last two months have been challenging for me personally because as many of you know, my father, WWE legend Jim Neidhart, passed away suddenly," wrote Natalya. "It’s something I’m still trying to wrap my head around. I remember my best friend Beth Phoenix (who also just happens to be a WWE Hall of Famer) dropping everything to fly and see me during that difficult time, as she knew just how much my dad meant to me." She continued, "Just a few weeks after my dad’s passing, Beth’s father passed away suddenly. My heart hurt for my friend and I got on a plane to do for my friend what she had done for me a few weeks earlier: be there for her. You’ll never guess what has been one of the most therapeutic tools in helping us both through these difficult times. Beth and I got together and found ourselves laughing so hard and smiling ear to ear, getting lost in our passion for wrestling and watching females who we got to share the ring with."
Natalya recalled Phoenix helping her win her first Divas Title at Survivor Series 2010. She and Phoenix called themselves "the Divas of Doom, the Sisters of Destruction, the female version of the Hart Foundation."
After watching old matches, Natalya brought up their late fathers.
"Before I left Beth’s house and headed home, I looked at her many WWE Championships hanging on the wall of her home gym," she wrote. "I said 'Beth, our dads are with us, looking upon us so proud of all we’ve accomplished. We never have to say goodbye to them, I promise you they’ll be in our hearts forever. Let’s continue to inspire others as our dads have done for us.'"
Phoenix returned to the WWE ring at the Women's Royal Rumble. As Natalya tells it, Phoenix insisted that Natalya be the one to eliminate her from the match. As of now, neither woman is booked for WWE Evolution on Oct. 28.
