How pro wrestling saved the life of a lung transplant patient

Kay Johansen struggles everyday to do what almost all of us take for granted.

Breathe.

Johansen, 42, has been waiting for a donated lung for half her life. She needs an oxygen tank to breathe and must carefully plan out her meds if she goes out.

Eight years ago, her brother died sendingher into a depression. She was ready to give up.

"I've gone through a lot of anger and just being kind of upset about it. Not knowing why it's taking so long."

Then something happened that she credits with saving her life.

She attended a professional wrestling match a Prairie Wrestling Alliance card ata smallEdmonton venue.

"That one night I went to wrestling, all of that was just drained from me because I got to yell, I got to argue, I got to cheer.

"All that frustration and everything and hope was put into yelling back at the show and I was hooked."

In eight years she's only missed three events.

Sitting ringside, she does not let her oxygen tank hold her back.

"I will get up and I will argue and I will put on just as much of a good show and get blue in the face doing it.

"He'll say something like, 'Shut up or I'll choke you with your tube.'"

It's all part of the show, said Nizer Watfa, who wrestles under the name Sheik Ackbar Shabazz.

"People just see this guy's picking on this poor lady and all, and he must be a jerk," he said. "I go out there and they boo me and get behind her, and she's yelling atme and I'm yelling at her.

"It just makes it a lot of fun for everybody."

The wrestlers have come to know Johansen and respect her, even finding inspiration in her struggle.

"Just knowing that someone comes out to see me, who is basically a nobody, wrestle and it brings her joy and makes her forget her pain, it means a lot to me, knowing I can make someone happy being an idiot," Watfa said.

Heavyweight GabrielLestat,a.k.a.The Omen, and Johansen have developed a friendship.

"She's remained very positive, said Gabriel, The Omen, Lestat. "It doesn't matter how tough we look in the ring, that woman is much tougher than any of us. By far."

While Johansen is considered a high priority for a transplant, her fight is far from over.

"If I get to spread awareness and yank people aside and say please sign your organ donor card, because you never know you may save even my life."

"You can save so many lives with one body."