Helen and Bob Miller.
Helen Miller didn’t know her future husband-to-be was a famous wrestler when she first met him.
She had joined a local gym on Te Roto Drive, Paraparaumu in 2004 to keep fit, and quickly found herself enjoying the atmosphere.
One of the members, who also worked part-time behind the counter, was a bloke called Bob ‘Butch’ Miller.
“I enjoyed his personality, and he was genuinely kind.
“I didn’t even know, when I started talking to him, who he was.
“One day, the owner of the gym cut out an article and pinned it on the noticeboard, so I read it and said, ‘Gee, this is about Bob’.”
She was amazed to find out he was a famous wrestler who was one part of a tag team called The Bushwhackers.
Miller and his cousin Luke Williams had been a key part of the World Wrestling Federation [now known as World Wrestling Entertainment or WWE] stable of top wrestlers.
They were firm fan favourites and wrestled in front of millions around the world, especially in the United States.
The Kiwi pair put fans into a frenzy as they stomped around the ring, arms and legs swinging, taking on all-comers and getting up to eccentric antics.
In 2015, the pair were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame – the first from Australasia to receive such an honour.
Living on the Kāpiti Coast and enjoying a much quieter life, Miller wasn’t one to bask in the limelight of his wrestling stardom.
His friendship with Helen turned into a relationship and, on May 21, 2005, in the living room of their home in Paraparaumu Beach, they were married.
“I was very proud to be his wife and we had a really neat life together.”
In recent weeks, Miller went to the United States to attend a Wrestle Con event in Los Angeles with Williams.
The event, part of the lead-up to WrestleMania, happens each year and is a great place for fans to get autographs or memorabilia signed by their wrestling stars.
“He was going on that last trip overseas, which was only for a week, and the only reason he was going was because he didn’t have to hop from state to state.
“It was kind of the last time that he and Luke would be together as The Bushwhackers, because he wouldn’t have been making that trip again.
“I was worried about him becoming unwell, with the flying and strain of it all, but I didn’t think for a moment think he wouldn’t come home.”
After two days in Los Angeles, Miller’s health suddenly deteriorated and he passed away on April 2. He was 78.
His death has been a difficult time for many people, especially Helen, as well as his two daughters from a previous marriage, Sharon and Kirstin.
There has been a lot to organise, including funeral arrangements.
“I’m managing to cope by keeping busy, but it’s very hard.”
Looking back on their life together brought lots of happiness, though.
“There are many fond memories and I’m grateful we had 18 years together.
“It was lovely, and I’m very sad it’s over.”
Helen said Miller had a lot of get-up-and-go, and if he did something, “he would always try to make a fabulous job of it”.
“He achieved his amazing fame with his drive and energy, despite the fact that he was born with a disability with his feet, which was corrected, but certainly, he never let that - or anything - hold him back in life or wrestling.”
And he inspired people, especially after he got very ill in 2008 with a second staph infection.
“To rebuild himself physically was a huge challenge, and by doing that, he inspired other people that they could do the same and improve their quality of life.”
The pair led a normal everyday life, although his fame was never far away.
“I used to have a store in Coastlands, and one day I went into another store, and the woman there said, ‘You’re married to one of The Bushwhackers’, and I said, ‘Yes, I’ve been married to him for years’.
“She said, ‘What’s it like being married to someone so famous?’, and I said, ‘He’s just himself, and isn’t jumping out of bushes with grass coming out of his ears in the morning – he’s getting up and having his breakfast like everyone else’. And she said, ‘Oh’.”
Lots of things brought them joy, including a special family member.
“Bob had always had dogs; I never had one.
“He said he’d really like to have a dog, so we got a beautiful two-year-old border collie called Nikki from the SPCA.
“We had her for 15 years, and she adored Bob.”
She recalled lots of enjoyable times “with his family and mine, which are lovely memories to have”.
And there has been one thing very close to her heart.
“He always had a huge love and support for me all our married life.”
