Source: The News Star
“Dr. Death” Steve Williams returns to his old stomping grounds this Sunday with a public appearance in West Monroe.
“Stomping” is the operative word for Williams, who parlayed regional acclaim with Mid-South Wrestling in the early 1980s into international fame.
“Ask any well-named wrester about Dr. Death,” Williams said. “I was the toughest man in the business. I don’t think anybody could match up.”
Diagnosed with throat cancer three years, Williams said he’s winning the greatest fight of his life against the disease.
“I didn’t work for two years,” Williams said. “Matter of fact, I died three times because of the situation. God spared my life.”
These days, he uses celebrity to share his testimony at churches. He also talks to cancer patients.
“I am so blessed,” said Williams, who has lived in Shreveport for 25 years. “I fought a tough opponent. That cancer was a tough situation.”
The 47-year-old Williams has mellowed with age, although he’s still training WWE wrestlers and helping develop the sport.
That includes public appearances to talk about his life and career. Williams will take part in a question and answer session with wrestling fans on Sunday as part of the promotion for a Bayou Independent Wrestling event — 2-4:30 p.m. — at the West Monroe Sports Complex.
“I think a lot of people are just happy to see that I’m alive,” Williams said. “I wanted to finish off 25 years with wrestling and retire. This is my 25th year. A lot of people have been asking me to come back out and entertain. Right now, I’m enjoying life.”
Williams, who saw his weight drop from 290 to 206, is back in the gym daily for two hours. The former Oklahma football and college wrestling star has returned closer to his playing weight of 275.
“I feel great,” said Williams, now a grandfather of four. “I tell people that I used to do it my way like old blue eyes — Frank Sinatra. I did it my way so many years. I was a Christian, but I kept backsliding. When I had cancer, I gave my life over to Christ.”
Williams chronicled his life and battle with cancer in a book — “How Dr. Death became Dr. Life.” He said he’ll have copies with him Sunday and also sells them through his Web sites — www.oklastamp.com and his myspace page — www.myspace.com/drdeathsw.
