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Eulogies for Bruno Sammartino recall wrestler's hard work, sacrifice, humility | TribLIVE.com
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Eulogies for Bruno Sammartino recall wrestler's hard work, sacrifice, humility

Tony LaRussa
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Nate Smallwood | Tribune-Review
Professional wrestler Bruno Sammartino's casket is carried to a hearse following a funeral service St. Sebastian Roman Catholic Church in Ross on April 23, 2018.
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Ketih Hodan | Trib Total Media
Pittsburgh legend Bruno Sammartino waves to the crowd at the My Macy's Holiday Parade, Downtown, on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2010.
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Nate Smallwood | Tribune-Review
Professional wrestler Bruno Sammartino's casket is carried to a hearse following a funeral service St. Sebastian Roman Catholic Church in Ross on April 23, 2018.

Family, friends and fans of Bruno Sammartino paid their final respects to the professional wrestling legend Monday, remembering him as a man of humble beginnings whose accomplishments in and out of the ring touched the lives of millions worldwide.

Bruno Leopoldo Francesco Sammartino, who held the World Wide Wrestling Federation title from 1963 to 1971 and again from 1973 to 1977 to become the organization's longest-reigning champion, died on April 18, 2018 . He was 82.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Monday in St. Sebastian Roman Catholic Church in Ross, where mourners were greeted by lone bagpiper Sean Patrick Regan performing “King's Taxes.”

Sammartino lived in Ross for more than 50 years.

While Sammartino performed to capacity crowds across the globe for decades — including sell-out matches in New York City's Madison Square Garden — those closest to the wrestling star remembered him for his humility and kindness.

Longtime friend Dr. Frank Costa recalled how he, as a 12-year-old, first experienced his childhood hero's ability to connect with people during a performance at the former Civic Arena in Pittsburgh.

“Entering the ring, he had a notably humble demeanor,” said Costa, who went on to serve as a ring-side physician. “But he still commanded the arena with the contained confidence of a champion stallion. Then he waved to the ecstatic fans, section by section, in respectful acknowledgment.”

Despite achieving worldwide fame and the adoration of fans, Sammartino never lost sight of who he was, Costa said, adding that his life was marked by “hard work, sacrifice and humility.”

“Bruno's charisma was rooted in his authenticity and lack of pretension,” Costa said. “He never bought glitz of his celebrity.”

When Sammartino was the headliner, he regularly helped undercard wrestlers “make ends meet” by sharing a portion of his payment, Costa said.

Costa consoled Sammartino's family by recounting the story of how he escaped Nazi clutches in World War II by escaping with his mother into the mountains surrounding Pizzoferrato, Italy, where they hid for more than a year, surviving mainly on snow and wildflowers.

At one point, Costa said, he and his mother, Emilia, faced death at the hands of a firing squad.

“She leaned to him and said: ‘Don't be afraid Bruno, where we are going there is no hunger, there is no pain, there is no suffering.' ”

Costa told Sammartino's family that those words remain true as they mourn his passing.

The Rev. John Rushofsky, who celebrated Monday's Mass, said Sammartino “was by all accounts a true gentlemen.”

“He was a man of honesty and integrity — something you see less and less often in today's public figures,” Rushofsky said. “But more than anything else, Bruno loved his family.”

Stephanie McMahon Levesque, a performer and executive for World Wrestling Entertainment, eulogized Sammartino with a letter written by her husband, wrestling star Paul “Triple H” Levesque, who could not attend the funeral.

Levesque praised Sammartino for his ability “through sheer force of will” to transform himself from a sickly boy “into a mountain of a man.”

“That man, through sheer force of will, worked to become a hero to millions,” Levesque said. “And that hero became a living legend ... by always, even through the worst times ... maintaining the standards for what it means to be professional.

“And that living legend has become immortal by living an amazing life and showing the world that through sheer force of will absolutely anything is possible,” said Levesque, who was accompanied at the funeral by her father, Vince McMahon, WWE's chairman and CEO.

Local TV and radio personality Larry Richert said “like millions of children around the world” he grew to love Sammartino as a child while watching “Studio Wrestling” on TV.

“It was the thing to do on a Saturday night in Pittsburgh,” Richert said. “Everyone in the neighborhood wanted to be like Bruno. And seeing him live at the Civic Arena was almost too much to take.”

Richert said he was “star struck” when he had the opportunity to interview Sammartino as a young broadcaster.

“He was unbelievably engaged, warm and compassionate,” Richert said. “And then I came to find out that is how he was with everyone.”

After learning about the struggles Sammartino faced as a child, Richert gained an even greater respect and admiration for the wrestler.

“He wasn't just this unbelievable champion,” Richert said. “He was a real hero and survivor.”

Tony LaRussa is a Tribune-Review staff writer.