 The WWF received some support from people who felt that the company did the right thing by continuing the event . Vince Russo , a WWF script writer at the time , pointed to the fact that Brian Pillman , a family friend of the Harts and a member of The Hart Foundation died shortly before the Badd Blood : In Your House pay @-@ per @-@ view on which he was scheduled to perform in 1997 . After learning of Pillman 's death , Hart went ahead with his match on the show . Russo claimed that this showed that " the night he passed away I 'm sure Owen would have wanted the same thing . " Vince McMahon refused to comment on Hart 's death until he felt sufficient time had passed . When asked if he felt responsible for the accident , he replied , " I have a lot to say and I will say it . I promise you that . But this is not the time to do it .... Give me a few days . Give me to the end of the week . Then we 'll talk . " The day after Over the Edge , the WWF published a message in the Calgary Sun , stating , " We do not have much information as to how it happened and will not know until an investigation is completed . We are all shaken , and to say Owen will be missed is to fall short of a way to fully explain what he meant to us . " Although the WWF had no information , they reported that " Our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Hart family . We have to be strong for Owen ; he was an extraordinary human being and consummate performer and knows that the highest tribute that we can pay is to go on entertaining the fans he loved so much . " 
