Ted DiBiase (33 page)

My dad has spent his life serving others. If he wasn't entertaining thousands of people in the ring, he was at home washing clothes, doing the dishes, or just doing what he could while he was home to help out my mom. He loves my mom very much, and he should, because she has been there through the good and the bad! He's a lucky man to have such a wonderful wife and I am the luckiest son of all to have her as a mother and him as my father.

My father was a great wrestler and entertainer. I know that, and I am proud of his accomplishments. I can only hope to be as good as he was one day, but I am even more proud that being a good wrestler and entertainer are not his greatest qualities. Unlike for many who have pursued it, the business did not define my father. He's a man with a servant's heart. He has compassion for people in need. He puts God and his family first, before anything else, every day when he wakes up. He's a good husband, and he's the greatest father a son could ask for. I love you, Dad. Thank you for everything.

My youngest son, Brett, is the ham of the family. He is twenty and is a sophomore in college on a soccer scholarship. He isn't sure what he wants to do yet, but I have a feeling that he will be following in his brothers' footsteps. I told Brett and all my boys, as well as kids everywhere I go, “Dream your dream.” If you are willing to pay the price, like the Million Dollar Man would say, then you can be anything you want. Don't let anybody tell you that you can't. Be brave enough to live your own dream, not somebody else's dream.

BRETT:

As a kid, I never really figured out that my dad was the Million Dollar Man. To me, he was just my dad. I can't exactly recall when I realized that he was a pretty big deal around the world and to a lot of people. But I do remember thinking that Dad was a big-time wrestler and it was really cool!

Like my two older brothers, as I got older, I was very much into wrestling. I would always go crazy watching Dad on TV, and would yell and beat up my World Wrestling Federation Million Dollar Man daddy doll. While I watched my dad on TV, it bothered me how mean he looked and how he was always cheating. My mom would always try to figure out how to explain to me that my dad was really not a mean guy or a guy that cheated in real life.

One of my wrestling memories with Dad was when I went on the road with him. One time, I met Skinner (Steve Keirn) when he was out of character. He was a great guy and was very nice to me. Later that night, I saw him wrestle in his character with a knife and spitting tobacco out of his mouth. I was terrified. After seeing that, I wouldn't get anywhere close to him.

Although I thought it was cool that my dad was a wrestler, having him just as my dad was even better. Dad raised me in a way that will help me succeed in life. I will never forget when Dad sat me down and said, “Son, there are three things in life that if you abide by them, I won't have to beat you!” He said, “Don't cheat, lie, or steal.”
Those things were the same three things his dad, “Iron” Mike DiBiase, had told him.

Let me share a story of how Dad was just being Dad—not the Million Dollar Man, walking around stuffing hundreds in people's mouths. One day, I was in the kitchen and my mother and I were arguing. Now, my brothers and I were never supposed to be disrespectful toward Mom, because that was one thing that would make Dad knock you out. During this argument, Dad walked in and saw what was going on. Well, I raised my voice and Dad popped me right in the mouth. Dad always had a good jab, but when he nailed me this time, out of instinct, I pushed him in his chest. Before I even realized what I had just done, Dad immediately picked me up by my shoulders, with my feet six inches off the floor, and lectured me for about five minutes without ever setting me down. He then tossed me on the couch, opened the door to the backyard, and said, “Come on. Since you think you can hang with me, let's finish this in the backyard like men!” Let's just say I tucked in my head like a dog that had been beaten for peeing on the floor. Dad raised me and my brothers to respect not only our parents, but people in general.

Dad will always be the greatest influence in my life. I want to make him proud with whatever I end up doing with my life. I know if I will use the skills and values he has instilled in me, then I will be able to reach all my goals and fulfill all my dreams. Thanks for everything, Dad. I love you.

I have always respected and valued the wrestling business. It has given me so much, both good and bad. Because of these treasured experiences, I have been blessed with a great and loving wife and family. It has even helped propel me to my current calling with my Heart of David Ministries.

Through it all, I was and always will be extremely appreciative of the fans who came out to cheer but mainly boo me. Without the fans, there is no professional wrestling. I will forever be thankful for the wonderful memories and those who paid the price for me to be part of the greatest industry on the planet.

There are so many people that I want to thank for this project. First and foremost, I want to thank my Lord and savior, Jesus Christ, for apart from him I am nothing, and my wife, Melanie, and my sons, Michael, Teddy, and Brett. I also want to thank the fans, because without them, this story wouldn't have been possible.

Tom would like to thank his wife, Janet, and son, Dante, for all their patience and understanding with the writing of this book. Without Janet's hours of assistance, this book would not have been possible.

Tom and I both wish to thank all the wonderful people at WWE and Pocket Books for their support, especially Dean Miller and Margaret Clark, respectively.

We both deeply appreciate those who took time out of their busy schedules to contribute to the book, including my brothers, John and Mike; Oscar Nanfito; Terry Funk; Bill Watts; Bruce Prichard; “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan; Jim Ross; Harley Race; Michael Hayes; Steve Keirn; Arn Anderson; Mike Rotundo; Terry Taylor; J.J. Dillon; “Dr. Death” Steve Williams; Shawn Michaels; Bob Geigel; Pat Patterson; Bobby Heenan; Nikita Koloff; Tito Santana; Tully Blanchard; Hal Santos; and Mike “Virgil” Jones.