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Pro wrestler Davey Boy Smith Jr. says he saved woman hanging from Calgary bridge

Oct 23, 2017 | 1:00 PM

CALGARY — British-Canadian professional wrestler Davey Boy Smith Jr. says he drew on his years of grappling and self-defence to help save the life of a woman dangling from a Calgary bridge.

In a post on his Facebook page, Smith Jr. said he was driving just west of the city’s downtown on Sunday when he saw a girl hanging off a bridge.

“I stopped and jumped the barricade and tried talking to the girl,” wrote Smith Jr., son of “the British Bulldog” wrestler Davey Boy Smith.

“She was crying and an emotional mess and threatening to jump if I got closer. With people on the ground waving her not to jump, I decided to grab a hold of her and not take any chances.”

Smith Jr., whose real name is Harry Smith, said the girl was starting to slide as he tried to pull her to safety.

“Luckily (from) my years of grappling and self-defence, I knew how to grab her HARD and how to pull her up from hanging off and jumping,” he wrote. “I knew not to grab her clothing because she would have ripped though it.”

He said he managed to pull her up and held her until police arrived. Smith Jr. said he told the girl “you’re not going to move unless I want you to, I’m an expert grappler.

“We will get you help. Life is a precious thing and I’m here to help you,” he said he told her.

Police arrived and took the girl into custody, Smith Jr. said.

“I’m really glad I saved a life,” he wrote. “Life is a precious thing folks. Never take it for granted. I’m glad I was at service to help somebody today and my years of grappling came into play. I really believe if I wasn’t there and been able to grab her, she would have jumped.”

Smith Jr. began wrestling at the age of eight and was trained by his father and uncle Bruce Hart, of the Hart wrestling family. He made his WWE debut at the age of 11 in Oct. 1996 and wrestled under the ring name David Hart Smith.

He now works for New Japan Pro-Wrestling.

The Canadian Press