Kahnawake Loses a Legend as Two Rivers Passes Away

Kahnawake has lost another legend. Billy Two-Rivers passed away Sunday morning at the Kateri Memorial Hospital Center (KMHC). He was 87 years old. Two Rivers was a standout lacrosse player in his youth and then went on to become one of the most recognized wrestlers in the world. In 1959 and into the mid 1960’s he wrestled in England over a six year period and rose to fame. Eventually he returned to Kahnawake where he ended up serving the community as an elected official on the Mohawk Council (MCK) for more than two decades.

“First thing I thought of was it’s the end of an era,” current MCK elected official Lindsay LeBorgne told K1037 News. “I had the opportunity to serve of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake with Billy for maybe seven or eight years, plus he was a family friend to my father and my late father-in-law and his wife and my mother. Growing up he was a larger than life person, being a professional wrestler. His passing, I think it will affect everybody from town.”

Walter Goodleaf served on the MCK for 12 years, all of them with Two Rivers at the council table. He says Billy’s passing signals the end of an ERA in Kahnawake.

“It sure is. I’m going to miss him,” Goodleaf said. “He was quite a humorous person. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him mad, or if he was it was maybe one time. He liked to tell stories and boy he could really tell some good ones. We’re going to miss him.”