Hollie Adkisson is an educator, activist, and the celebrity daughter of Kerry Von Erich, a renowned in World Class Championship Wrestling. She comes from the Von Erich family, an American professional wrestling family who were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on March 16, 2009. The family had unique wrestling moves portrayed in the A24 film The Iron Claw from the 1970s to the 1990s. Hollie’s family was the subject of an episode of Dark Side of the Ring in 2019. She has always emphasized emotional and psychological growth as a guide and mentor.
Hollie Adkisson’s Influence and Personal Life
Hollie was born on September 19, 1984, to Catherine Murray and Kerry Von. Her parents separated and divorced on April 22, 1992. She is the sister to Lacey Dawn, born on July 17, 1986. Lacey, just like most family members, joined wrestling and worked with TNA and retired in 2010. Hollie prioritizes family and personal relationships, creating a balance between work and time for loved ones, as she believes that nurturing these relationships is integral to her well-being and sense of purpose.
Hollie Adkisson’s career trajectory has been diverse, engaging in multiple professional areas from education and writing to public speaking and social advocacy. She did not follow in the family footsteps and opted to pursue education to transform individuals and communities. She obtained a degree as an educator and uplifted others through teaching and mentorship.
One of Hollie’s significant contributions has been in the mental health space, creating mental health awareness and destigmatizing mental health issues. Hollie campaigned for better funding for school counselors, better access to mental health resources, and more education on mental health problems.
The Von Erich Family Background and Career Life
Hollie’s father, Kerry, was the most popular among the four sons of Fritz Von Erich, a family known for professional wrestling. His brothers inspired him to pursue a career in World Class Championship Wrestling. The Adkisson family was from Texas and started wrestling with their father, Jack Adkisson, in 1953 till 1982, before he died of cancer.
The family’s patriarch, Jack Adkisson, was a prominent wrestling figure and founded the World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW) promotion in 1966. Jack Fritz had six sons, and five of them, David, Kevin, Kerry, Mike, and Chris, followed in his footsteps into professional wrestling. The Von Erich brothers were a major draw for WCCW during the 1980s. The most notable among them were David, Kerry who became a major star and won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship in 1984, and Kevin who wrestled in the ring and behind the scenes.
Kerry and his brothers Mike and Chris died from suicide, Jack Jr died at age of six from drowning, and David died from enteritis in 1984. His only surviving brother is Kevin, although he retired from wrestling in 1995. Kevin’s sons Marshall and Ross have kept the family legacy in wrestling under the name The Von Erichs. The third generation also has had to deal with the myth that their family is cursed due to the tragic deaths of their parents and the struggles involved in the wrestling industry.
