Nattie Neidhart was not prepared for the death of her father, WWE Legend, Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart, earlier this year, and fans will see how she dealt with the tragedy during the season 8 finale of Total Divas on Nov. 28. “I think that a lot of people were surprised that I chose to cover the funeral and my dad’s passing on the show, but my dad was such a big part of the show from the very beginning,” Nattie explained to HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY. “I you are on a reality show, you have to share what is going on in your life, and my dad was practically a cast member. He was such an important part of the show that I didn’t want to omit him. I wanted him to have the best send off.”
Jim passed away on Aug. 13, 2018 at the age of 63. His wife called 911 when he fell at his home, and she believed he was having a seizure. However, the Sheriff’s Office confirmed that it was the fall that killed him. “I want everyone to talk about him and remember him and I wanted him to have an incredible goodbye,” Nattie explained. “I wanted to do him justice, so the more attention we could bring to him and the more spotlight…the better. I think he really would have liked that!” She also added that she’s heard from so many people that her openness about the situation has helped them get through similar tough times. “That really makes me feel good,” she said. “To know that I am being relatable to others who are going through the same thing.”
Nattie also told us that the Total Divas finale is very “powerful,” and that opening up about her life the way she has has been “therapeutic” for her. “I don’t want people to feel sorry for me,” she revealed. “I want to show, for me, that people go through hard times all the time. Everybody is going through something. Everyone is going through a war we know nothing about. So, for me, it’s like a personal story and a personal story about overcoming grief.”
The season eight finale of Total Divas airs at 9:00 p.m. on E! The episode will also show Nia Jax as she prepares for her singles match against Ronda Rousey, as well as Trinity working on her relationship with Jon Uso after she loses her wedding ring. Yikes!