GoFundMe Launched After Dutch Mantell and Wife Struggle with Severe Health Issues

WWE fans remember Dutch Mantell as Zeb Colter, but he was hospitalized back in December after suffering some serious medical issues and now it appears a GoFundMe has been set up after both he and his wife struggle with severe health issues.

While speaking on Story Time with Dutch Mantell, co-host James shared an important message about Dutch Mantel. In 2015, Dutch suffered a serious injury when he broke his leg, which made it hard for him to move around. He now uses a motorized scooter because of complications from surgery. Recently, Dutch faced severe health problems, including being hospitalized for infections and pneumonia.

While Dutch is recovering and back home, his wife Kathy is also very sick. She has been in the hospital many times and recently had risky surgery on her bowels. Their daughter Amanda has taken time off work to care for them, putting a lot of stress on the family.

James explained that due to long hospital stays, Dutch and Kathy’s insurance coverage has run out, and they have used up most of their savings. With less money coming in from the YouTube channel, they are in a tough financial situation.

James mentioned that he has been helping Dutch financially and has donated to a GoFundMe set up by Amanda. He is asking fans to consider donating to help Dutch and his family during this hard time, and he believes any support would mean a lot to them.

“Hello all, it’s James here, Dutch’s co-host on the Story Time with Dutch Mantel podcast and YouTube channel. Now, this is a video I never wanted to make, and nobody wanted it to come to this, but I’m sad to say that Dutch needs your help. In fact, scratch that—Wayne Cowan, the man who performed as Dutch Mantel up and down America and across the world, including in WWE as Zeb Colter, needs your help.

In 2015, Dutch broke his femur in two places due to a freak accident. He was simply stretching when he fell and broke his leg. When he returned to WWE on a motorized scooter during the Alberto Del Rio managing days, that wasn’t a gimmick; he genuinely needed the scooter and still does. After almost dying from the surgery to fix his leg, his mobility has been severely impacted, making it nearly impossible for him to get around his own house unaided in recent years. This has led to further health complications.

In late 2023, Dutch was hospitalized due to sepsis and spent a month in both a hospital and a rehab facility. Then, in late summer, he contracted a urinary tract infection that developed into urosepsis, a life-threatening condition. From there, he developed pneumonia and had to endure another month in various medical and rehab facilities, all while Hurricane Idalia ravaged the east coast of Florida, including the greater Tampa area, where Dutch and his family live.

The good news is that Dutch has started to recover and has finally returned home. In fact, we are tentatively hoping to record a podcast this coming Thursday, where Dutch will explain the severe medical episodes he has endured to give you all a fuller picture of the situation.

Unfortunately, while Dutch has been fighting for his life, his wife of over 50 years, Kathy, has been facing even more serious issues. Since May, she has been hospitalized nearly a dozen times and has lost about 70 pounds due to serious health issues, including sepsis and diverticulitis. Recently, she underwent a bowel resection surgery, which involved cutting out a large portion of her bowel and stitching the remaining parts back together. This surgery was high-risk, and the recovery will be long, slow, and painful.

Because both Dutch and Kathy require assistance, their daughter Amanda has had to take a leave of absence from work to care for them both full-time, and she is nearing her breaking point, as you can imagine, while trying to ensure her parents are well cared for. All this hardship has created immense emotional and financial strain on the family.

Many wrestling fans may remember when Kevin Sullivan’s family launched a GoFundMe shortly before his passing. This was necessary even though Sullivan had excellent health insurance, as he maxed out the coverage for the days the insurer would pay and had to use his own savings to cover the care he desperately needed. Sadly, Dutch and his family are now in a similar situation.

Due to extended hospital stays required to keep them alive, the family has exhausted the days and care that their insurance will provide. They have also had to deplete their savings to the point where there is almost nothing left. Amanda has had to give up work temporarily, and since Dutch and I haven’t been able to record new material for the YouTube channel, the AdSense revenue has dropped significantly. Therefore, there is almost no income coming into the household.

In full disclosure, I have been helping Dutch financially with the income that has still been coming into the YouTube channel. I have also donated to Dutch Mantel’s official GoFundMe, set up by his daughter Amanda. This brings me to you, the subscriber, viewer, and fan of Dutch Mantel and professional wrestling in general. I come to you with a metaphorical cap in hand. I absolutely hate having to ask this, as does Dutch, because he is a proud man, but we both dislike the dire financial situation he finds himself in.

If you are a fan of Dutch, please consider donating whatever you can to help him out. I’m not asking you to do anything I wouldn’t do. I’m not a multimillionaire, but I have put my money where my mouth is and donated to the GoFundMe as well. I work every day and have my own family to provide for, but Dutch and I have become very good friends over the years, and I have great respect for him as a person and performer. It’s the least I can do, and it’s what he deserves.“

This is a very serious situation for Dutch Mantell and his wife, and we hope they get the support they need to get through this health crisis. We encourage fans and fellow wrestlers to contribute to their GoFundMe if they can.

Please share your thoughts and prayers for Dutch Mantell in the comments section below.

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