--- description: Bret 'Hitman' Hart announced his cancer diagnosis in an Instagram post. title: WWE Star Bret 'Hitman' Hart Announces He Has Cancer image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3ad21447de08684f/69887ba7f887dc89e3e94690/bret-hart-prostate-cancer-announcement.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Sports](/section/sports/) ## Sports Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [health](/tag/health/) ## health Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # WWE Star Bret 'Hitman' Hart Announces He Has Cancer by [Sports Illustrated](/author/sports-illustrated/) ## Sports Illustrated Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Feb 1, 2016 8:25 PM CUT  Bret Hart photographed at Random House Publishing, October 23, 2007. Bret Hart photographed at Random House Publishing, October 23, 2007.Andrew Francis Wallace—Toronto Star/Getty Images by [Sports Illustrated](/author/sports-illustrated/) ## Sports Illustrated Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Feb 1, 2016 8:25 PM CUT WWE legend Bret Hart has announced on Instagram that he is battling prostate cancer. The five-time WWE heavyweight champion will undergo surgery later in the week. Hart, 58, stopped competing in the ring after suffering a concussion in 1999\. He made a brief return to wrestling after regaining movement in his left arm and leg following a stroke in 2002\. The stroke was brought on by a blood clot in his brain that formed during a motorcycle accident. “I’ve had a great lifelong dance and I’m a survivor of many hard battles. I now face my toughest battle. With hesitation and fear, I openly declare myself in my fight against prostate cancer. In the next few days, I will undergo surgery with the hope of defeating this nemesis once and for all,” Hart wrote. “My fans have always looked upon me as a hero and I’ve always done my best to live up to that in and out of the ring. I beat the odds when I suffered my stroke in 2002, but it is now yet again, that I draw upon the many adults and young children I’ve met throughout my life who courageously fought and usually lost in their battles against this deadly disease. One year ago, I watched a brave young man named Whesley fight brain cancer to the end. If I can find even an ounce of his courage to stand unafraid and face the tough road ahead of me, I will march toward this destiny with his spirit chanting in my ear.” In addition to competing in the WWE, Hart also wrestled in the World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and Stampede Wrestling. _This_ [_article_](http://www.si.com/more-sports/2016/02/01/bret-hart-prostate-cancer-announcement-instagram-wwe?xid=IFT-Trending "undefined") _originally appeared on_ [_SI.com_](http://www.si.com "undefined") ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4203060/bret-hart-cancer/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4203060/bret-hart-cancer/"},"headline":"WWE Star Bret 'Hitman' Hart Announces He Has Cancer","datePublished":"2016-02-01T20:25:32.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T14:39:26.601Z","description":"He will have surgery this week after being diagnosed with prostate cancer","url":"https://time.com/4203060/bret-hart-cancer/","keywords":["health","wrestling"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3ad21447de08684f/69887ba7f887dc89e3e94690/bret-hart-prostate-cancer-announcement.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Sports Illustrated","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/sports-illustrated/"}],"articleSection":"Sports","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3ad21447de08684f/69887ba7f887dc89e3e94690/bret-hart-prostate-cancer-announcement.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"BRET HART--10/23/07--Bret Hart photographed at Random House Publishing, October 23, 2007. 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