WHITE BEAR LAKE — Nora Greenwald has battled the most ferocious wrestlers in the world, but her fiancé, Geno Benshoof, has fought even bigger demons.
Together the couple plans to help others crush drug dependency.
Greenwald, a Forest Lake native, will marry Benshoof in a small ceremony in the backyard garden of the Benshoof family home in White Bear Lake later this month. The wedding comes just one year after they met and almost two years after both reached pivotal moments in their lives.
In April 2009, Greenwald came out of retirement and performed on professional wrestling’s biggest stage, Wrestlemania 25. More than 72,000 people watched her fight nine other “divas” in the “Super Bowl” of wresting at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas.
Around that same time, Benshoof had just managed to avoid a prison sentence and was working his way through a Minneapolis drug rehabilitation program.
A world-class wrestling promoter would never dream up a better match.
Greenwald, 32, traveled the pro wrestling circuit for five years as “Molly Holly,” performing in 13 countries and 49 states before retiring in 2005. She won the women’s WWE championship twice and lost a title match in Madison Square Garden, where her opponent shaved her head in front of a worldwide television audience.
Despite the fame and celebrity, Greenwald, a devout Christian, never found the right man.
“Geno was my first boyfriend and I met him just a year ago,” said Greenwald. “I never wanted to waste my time, so I have been waiting for ‘the one’ and when you know, you know.”
Or, maybe in the case of a sports celebrity like Greenwald, it’s when they don’t know you that you know.Benshoof, 31, said he had no idea Greenwald was one of the most popular female wrestlers in the country when they met at a Minneapolis drug and alcohol recovery program last year.
Greenwald worked at the center as a teen counselor, visiting public schools and discussing the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse with students. Benshoof had just landed an internship in the office after completing court-ordered drug treatment.
“I really didn’t know anything about (wrestling),” he said. “In my past, I didn’t pay much attention to what was going on in the rest of the world. I was caught up in drugs, in selling drugs and crime and everything else. I really didn’t pay attention to anything.”
While Greenwald was pile-driving opponents in the ring and charming fans around country, Benshoof was immersed in St. Paul suburban drug culture.
Over a three-year period, Benshoof had been arrested, charged and convicted of felony drug possession, burglary and possession of a dangerous weapon. He was homeless, had contemplated suicide and had been stealing from his friends and family.
At a February 2009 sentencing, a Ramsey County judge told him it was either treatment or 56 months in prison.
Benshoof said his arrest and sentencing was a godsend. He went through treatment, swore off drugs, found a job and met Greenwald.
Benshoof said he had to look up “Molly Holly” on YouTube to learn about Greenwald’s television career.
“She’s got over 1,000 videos,” he said. “I don’t know, I guess I was just under the influence of drugs for a few years.”
Greenwald said she knew about Benshoof’s background when they met but couldn’t help being attracted to him.
“I knew I was falling for him,” she said. “But I had to keep my feelings to myself to protect my job.”
A company policy prohibited counselors from dating interns.
“During that time I admired him from afar,” she said. “I noticed that when he walks into a room full of people, everyone’s face lights up. He’s a hardworking man with integrity, tenacity and confidence to stand up for what he believes.”
When Benshoof landed a position in the marketing department, the two were free to date. A church pastor encouraged the relationship.
For Greenwald, Benshoof’s drug-filled past turned out to be a good thing. She found a man who loved her for who she really was, not the wrestling star who dominated the ring for five years.
“It’s been a blessing for both of us,” said Benshoof, who is the brother of Olympic luger Tony Benshoof. “She’s seen me as the person that’s two-and-a-half years sober and now working to help other people gain freedom from addiction as well. So that’s the person she met, which is great too.
“The timing has been really good.”
Greenwald said the couple quickly fell in love. Benshoof composed a song about their relationship and proposed after playing it on a church piano.
“I wanted to elope right way,” she said. But a church marriage program required eight weeks of pre-marriage counseling.
“I’m a 32-year-old virgin that doesn’t care to be a 33-year-old virgin,” said Greenwald. “A short engagement was most desirable.”
“Yup, we’re waiting until our wedding night,” she said. “It’s pretty cool that Geno loves me enough to buy the car without test driving it first.”
Yes, after more than 10 years in and out of the wrestling spotlight, winning legions of fans with both her strength and beauty, Greenwald was never much for the party scene.
“She’s stayed true to her faith and her integrity, staying pure morally and holding on to what she believes,” said Benshoof. “A lot of her friends have died with overdoses and getting into drugs. She’s held on to her convictions.”
“It’s amazing to me,” he said. “She’s phenomenal; she’s great; she’s awesome.”
Benshoof said he knows Greenwald faced the pressure and temptation to use drugs in her career but she rejected it. Meanwhile he fell into the drug world, a little by little, until his life revolved around nothing but drugs.
“There’s no way, two years ago, that I would ever have thought I would have met someone as awesome as her,” he said. “Our future is completely bright. I can see us being good teammates, helping other people come out of the crap that I was in. She has real sympathy and real heart for people who are stuck in addiction because of her past and what happened to her friends.
“I have a lot of sympathy because I was there.”
Greenwald has studied Spanish in Guatemala and taken up photography since her 2005 retirement. She said the couple plans to find a permanent home in White Bear Lake and continue to help others battle chemical dependency.
“Our faith is the most important part of our life together,” she said. “Both Geno and I plan to be involved in Christian ministry in some way for the rest of our lives.”
It’s a tag-team that can’t lose.
