By James Caldwell, PWTorch.com assistant editor

Bret Hart was in regular contact with Andrew "Test" Martin prior to Martin's death and he says should have seen Martin's death coming. Hart says Martin was losing a grip on rehab and he's apologetic for not reading the signs.

"I'm sorry I didn't see his pain and suffering; had I known I'd have tried harder to save him," Hart said on his website. "He slipped and we lost one of the good ones."

Hart says Martin seemed focused on recovering from previous drug addictions after completing WWE-sponsored rehab. Hart didn't think to question his progress.

"He seemed so strong and focused that I never thought to question him about how he was doing," Hart said. "Now I wish so much that I could've somehow known that Andrew was losing his grip on his addictions, beginning to slip. I failed to see the signs of him losing a battle that I thought he'd already won."

Hart was encouraging Martin to use his story to help wrestlers and other people who are struggling with drug addiction. He says Martin's recovery story could have saved lives.

"I again urged him to use his experience to reach out to the many wrestlers who are still losing their battle with drug addiction," Hart said. "Andrew clearly had his demons on the run and we talked about him becoming the poster child for wrestlers that desperately needed a voice urging, 'If I can beat this, so can you!'"

After an international tour this past November, Martin told Hart that he would follow-through on helping other wrestlers who were struggling.

"Andrew convinced me he had the commitment and the determination to make a difference," Hart said.

Hart helped train Martin for WWE prior to leaving for WCW after the Survivor Series 1997 "Montreal screwjob." He will choose to remember Martin fondly as the young, talented wrestler he wrestled in his father, Stu Hart's, dungeon in Canada.

"I instantly liked Andrew and I can smile now at the memory of coming home from the road, physically exhausted, only to remember that I'd promised Andrew a real match in my dungeon. I found myself reluctantly wrapping my knees and lacing up my boots so I could wrestle Andrew on my precious day off," Hart said.

"That day Andrew went from dreaming of being a wrestler to actually working with the WWE World Champion in his home. I wrestled Andrew for over a half hour and I knew back then that, with his size and ability, he was going to go far in the business."

Link: Bret Hart blog on Andrew Martin.

Andrew "Test" Martin related stories at PWTorch.com:
-- Initial report on Martin's death
-- WWE's statement
-- Kelly Kelly's MySpace status update
-- Jim Ross reports on Martin's rehab
-- Kevin Nash and Eric Bischoff remember Martin
-- VIP - KELLER HOTLINE: Analysis of WWE's response to Martin death
-- MITCHELL blog: This one counts
-- MCKINLEY blog: Reaction to death

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