There usually aren't too many positives to breaking your ankle, but in the case of pro wrestler and blonde bombshell Trish Stratus, the incident last summer -- par for the course in her line of work -- completely changed her professional and home life.
"It was the turning point in my career," the former World Wrestling Entertainment women's champion says. "While I was sitting at home, I was thinking I want to come back and do something different than I had been doing, and I wanted to be better in the ring, and I wanted to do more physical things. So when I came back, they gave me more matches and every time out I got better and better. Six weeks later I won the championship."
She also used the time off to work on getting her new custom-built home in posh Richmond Hill into proper living shape. Ms. Stratus had just recently bought the house, but being on the road and performing five days a week left her with little time for home matters. The forced vacation was thus a blessing in disguise.
"When I broke my ankle, that was a great opportunity for me to decorate my house. For three months, I literally completely designed my house. I was on crutches in the furniture store, picking my stuff and making sure it was all delivered."
Now, the house -- a modern, spacious and somewhat minimalist residence -- is done, complete with the little touches that reflect its owner's personality: The Barbie collection in the closet and the shot-glass collection behind the basement bar, the pool table in the living room, the swirl-patterned carpet that she designed herself in the family room.
Unlike many other Canadian wrestlers, Ms. Stratus has stayed close to her roots. The 27-year-old was born in East York and grew up in Richmond Hill. She studied biology and kinesiology at York University and was set to apply to medical school, but a strike at York in 1997 threw her future into limbo. She decided to try out fitness modeling as a diversion until school reconvened, but she caught the attention of the wrestling industry. Ms. Stratus made her television debut in March, 2000, and has since risen through the ranks to become the top female in the business -- in January, she was named "Diva of the Decade" by the WWE.
This Sunday, Ms. Stratus will be taking part in a "Triple Threat" match at Wrestlemania, the WWE's Super Bowl, as she vies to become the women's champion for a fourth time.
But despite her success, she has thus far resisted the urge to fly south.
"My family is here, I've grown up here, and I have no need to leave. The only time I have the urge to leave is around tax time. Ultimately, that's a lot of the reason why many of the guys have left," she says. "But I need to be with my family on my off-time, and to be in familiar surroundings."
That down-to-earth attitude is reflected in her house, which emphasizes the simple things in life. Absent are any lavish displays of wealth -- the front of the house is unassuming and approachable, with neighbourhood kids playing street hockey just outside. There are few pricey pieces of artwork to be found, and the garage is devoid of expensive and flashy cars, with the exception of Ms. Stratus's newly restored 1967 Camaro SS, which she says she "can't wait to drive" when all the snow melts.
Instead, Ms. Stratus has designed her house to be "kind of like an adult playground." The family room, her favourite place, is home to a 51-inch TV, fireplace, a big DVD collection, and comfy reclining leather couches -- "they kick ass, they're the best." The basement recreation room similarly houses a giant television, an Xbox game player and more of her mammoth movie library.
Her office, where she runs her own Web site -- Trishstratus.com -- is a jumble of newspaper articles, action figures and assorted wrestling paraphernalia. And then there's the room that ultimately helps pay for everything -- the gym. The fully functional exercise room is essentially a miniature replica of what you'd find at your local gym -- a dumbbell rack, treadmill and several weight machines -- and is a necessity for keeping in step with the rigours of her job.
"If I built another house, a gym would definitely be the first thing I'd put in there," Ms. Stratus says, adding that she trains at least an hour a day.
Despite the glitz and glamour of her job, as off-kilter as it is, Ms. Stratus insists on remaining "normal" and wants her house to remain a sanctuary from an otherwise frenetic lifestyle.
"I like the all-inclusiveness of my house," she says. "A lot of my downtime is just hanging out and doing nothing, because that's the only time I have to do it."
Peter Nowak