Inside wrestling ‘curse’ as WWE star Bray Wyatt dies after his pal Luke Harper & dozens of others suffered early deaths
pThe three-time a aria-label=WWE (opens in a new tab) href=https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/wwe/ target=_blank rel=noreferrer noopenerWWE/a world champion was suddenly a aria-label=pronounced dead on Friday at just 36-years-old (opens in a new tab) href=https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/23651558/bray-wyatt-dead-wwe-superstar-reports/ target=_blank rel=noreferrer noopenerpronounced dead on Friday at just 36-years-old/a after reportedly suffering a heart attack./p
figure id=attachment_23654712 class=wp-caption alignnone style=width: 746pximg decoding=async loading=lazy src=https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/wwe-professional-wrestler-bray-wyatt-837424947.jpg?strip=allamp;w=736 alt= class=alignnone size-thesun-article-image wp-image-23654712 width=736 height=960 /figcaption class=wp-caption-text/figcaptionfigcreditGetty/figcredit/figureWWE professional wrestler Bray Wyatt attends has died at the age of 36[/caption]
figure id=attachment_23654867 class=wp-caption alignnone style=width: 970pximg decoding=async loading=lazy src=https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/f6765fcd-30df-450c-bbe2-3731162d4bb7-1.jpg?strip=allamp;w=960 alt= class=alignnone size-thesun-article-image wp-image-23654867 width=960 height=868 /figcaption class=wp-caption-textWyatt is survived by his fiance and four children #8211; two daughters were from a previous marriage/figcaptionfigcreditInstagram/figcredit/figure
pThe wrestler, whose real name is Windham Rotunda, hadn#8217;t been seen on TV since February and last wrestled at this year’s a href=https://www.thesun.co.uk/topic/wwe-royal-rumble/ target=_blank aria-label=Royal Rumble (opens in a new tab) rel=noreferrer noopenerRoyal Rumble/a in January./p
pAt just 36-years-old, Rotunda was not only continuing to compete as a professional, but had the rest of his life to look forward to./p
pHe was also a fiance to Joseann Offerman, a former WWE ring announcer, and a father to four children./p
pTwo of his daughters, though, were from a previous marriage./p
pRotunda#8217;s death, in fact, comes barely 24 hours after it was announced a aria-label=WWE Hall of Famer Terry Funk had died at the age of 79 (opens in a new tab) href=https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/23626951/terry-funk-dead-tributes-wwe-wrestling/ target=_blank rel=noreferrer noopenerWWE Hall of Famer Terry Funk had died at the age of 79/a./p
pBut his shocking passing is just the latest of untimely and often tragic deaths that have #8220;cursed#8221; the muscle-bound grapplers./p
pAnother pro wrestler who was taken far too early was AEW star Brodie Lee./p
pLee #8211; known as Luke Harper in WWE #8211; a aria-label=died aged 41 after suffering from the rare illness idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (opens in a new tab) href=https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/13582652/who-wrestler-brodie-lee-how-die/ target=_blank rel=noreferrer noopenerdied aged 41 in December 2020/aa href=https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/13582652/who-wrestler-brodie-lee-how-die/ target=_blank aria-label=died aged 41 after suffering from the rare illness idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (opens in a new tab) rel=noreferrer noopener /aa aria-label=died aged 41 after suffering from the rare illness idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (opens in a new tab) href=https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/13582652/who-wrestler-brodie-lee-how-die/ target=_blank rel=noreferrer noopenerafter suffering from the rare illness idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis/a, a rare condition that causes a hardening of the lungs. /p
pHis death was not directly related to his ring work, it was a cruel twist of fate. /p
pBut the loss of Lee was yet another tragedy to hit sport that still bares some of the deepest scars imaginable. /p
pIn the end, a href=https://www.instagram.com/p/CJSFmNyhweL/ target=_blank aria-label=his wife Amanda Huber said (opens in a new tab) rel=noreferrer noopenerhis wife Amanda Huber said/a he #8220;passed surrounded by love ones after a hard fought battle with a non Covid related lung issue.#8221;/p
figure id=attachment_23654703 class=wp-caption alignnone style=width: 643pximg decoding=async loading=lazy src=https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/elite-wrestling-superstar-jon-huber-627602135-1.jpg?strip=allamp;w=633 alt= class=alignnone size-thesun-article-image wp-image-23654703 width=633 height=633 /figcaption class=wp-caption-text/figcaptionfigcreditWWE/figcredit/figureBrodie Lee was another wrestling star who passed away at a young age, having died when he was 41[/caption]
figure id=attachment_23654748 class=wp-caption alignnone style=width: 490pximg decoding=async loading=lazy src=https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/wrestling-superstar-jon-huber-performed-627676184.jpg?strip=allamp;w=480 alt= class=alignnone size-thesun-article-image wp-image-23654748 width=480 height=480 /figcaption class=wp-caption-text/figcaptionfigcreditInstagram / brodielee/figcredit/figureAlso known as Luke Harper, the WWE star died from a lung condition[/caption]
figure id=attachment_23655007 class=wp-caption alignnone style=width: 625pximg decoding=async loading=lazy src=https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/photo-john-shearer-wireimage-bwr-289985166-2.jpg?strip=allamp;w=615 alt= class=alignnone size-thesun-article-image wp-image-23655007 width=615 height=960 /figcaption class=wp-caption-text/figcaptionfigcreditGetty - Contributor/figcredit/figureEddie Guerrero was just 38 when he died of heart failure[/caption]
pUnfortunately, the nature of the sport and lifestyle around it often play a role in these tragic endings./p
pThe combination of gruelling schedules, constant and intense physical competition, the proliferation of painkillers and other drugs, as well as other factors have been the main causes in the past./p
pEastern Michigan University found the mortality rates of wrestlers is up to 2.9 times higher than other men in a report from 2014. /p
pAnd another study by a University of Manchester academic found the death rate is significantly higher than in other sports. /p
pThe names of those who have died young reads like a heartbreaking roll call for the a href=https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/wwe/WWE/a Hall of Fame. /p
pEddie Guerrero was just 38 and in the prime of his career when he died of heart failure. /p
pAged just 39, The British Bulldog also suffered a heart attack, and the same fate befell the legendary Andre The Giant at just 46./p
pOther wrestlers to have died before they were 50 include the #8220;Mr Perfect#8221; Curt Henning, Umaga, Yokozuna, Earthquake, Big Boss Man, Big John Studd, Brian Pillman, and Big Daddy V. /p
pWrestlers are sometimes dubbed #8220;immortals#8221; but the stats show that simply far too many of them do not enjoy full lives even after they have retired./p
pThe Ultimate Warrior suffered a heart attack aged 54 just days after being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame and giving a farewell speech on the promotion#8217;s flagship show Monday Night Raw./p
pThe story was painfully similar to those such as #8220;Macho Man#8221; Randy Savage who suffered a heart attack aged 58, #8220;Rowdy#8221; Roddy Piper who died aged 61, and Big Van Vader who died while recovering from heart surgery aged 63. /p
pAnd last year saw the death of Scott Hall #8211; also known as Razor Ramon #8211; who was taken off life support after suffering from three heart attacks at just 63. /p
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pThe mental and physical pain of those years scar hard and deep/p
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pBret #8220;The Hitman#8221; Hart spoke candidly as the wrestling world faced the grief of Hall#8217;s passing, saying simply: #8220;One more wrestler#8221;./p
p#8220;We#8217;ve lost so many wrestlers from my era, and this is just one more to a list that is far too long,#8221; wrote Hart, a seven-time world champion./p
p#8220;I won#8217;t blame any one thing, but I do believe that if the days of wrestling 300 days a year had been kinder and more considerate, if we could#8217;ve been home with our loved ones more, many of my old friends and brothers would still be here.#8221; /p
pAnd Hall#8217;s best friend Kevin Nash #8211; also known as Diesel #8211; weighed in, describing the vicious wrestling schedule faced by stars as a #8220;meat grinder#8221;. /p
pNash said: #8220;The mental and physical pain of those years scar hard and deep.#8221;/p
figure id=attachment_23376911 class=wp-caption alignnone style=width: 970pximg decoding=async loading=lazy src=https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/NINTCHDBPICT000289985186.jpg?strip=allamp;w=960 alt= class=alignnone size-thesun-article-image wp-image-23376911 width=960 height=652 /figcaption class=wp-caption-text/figcaptionfigcreditGetty - Contributor/figcredit/figureWWE legend The British Bulldog was just 39 when he died of a heart attack[/caption]
figure id=attachment_23376849 class=wp-caption alignnone style=width: 970pximg decoding=async loading=lazy src=https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/macho-man-randy-savage-360756497.jpg?strip=allamp;w=960 alt= class=alignnone size-thesun-article-image wp-image-23376849 width=960 height=540 /figcaption class=wp-caption-text/figcaptionfigcreditWWE/figcredit/figureMacho Man Randy Savage was driving his Jeep when he fell unconscious[/caption]
figure id=attachment_23376821 class=wp-caption alignnone style=width: 970pximg decoding=async loading=lazy src=https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/week-marks-30-years-since-362973312.jpg?strip=allamp;w=960 alt= class=alignnone size-thesun-article-image wp-image-23376821 width=960 height=540 /figcaption class=wp-caption-text/figcaptionfigcreditWWE/figcredit/figureThe Ultimate Warrior died just hours after appearing on WWE Raw[/caption]
figure id=attachment_23376788 class=wp-caption alignnone style=width: 970pximg decoding=async loading=lazy src=https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/NINTCHDBPICT000718639943.jpg?strip=allamp;w=960 alt= class=alignnone size-thesun-article-image wp-image-23376788 width=960 height=540 /figcaption class=wp-caption-textScott Hall died after bravely battling with addiction/figcaptionfigcredit/figcredit/figure
pMany wrestlers appeared to face a perfect storm #8211; wrestling physically intense matches multiple times a week while travelling from town-to-town suffering nagging injuries, which in turn led to personal battles with booze and drug addictions. /p
pThe demands to stay in shape and keep fighting led to potentially lethal combinations of steroids, painkillers and recreational substances. /p
p#8220;Mr Perfect#8221; died from cocaine intoxication aged 44, Chyna died from a cocktail of drugs and painkillers aged 46, and Test was only 33 when he was found dead from an accidental overdose. /p
pWrestlers who have survived the heyday in the 80s and 90s still bare the physical scars, with WWE legend Mick Foley admitting last year he is paying a #8220;steep price#8221;. /p
pThe physical toll comes from the constant blows and pressure on the body to perform, as well as the inherently dangerous stunts performed by the stars./p
pOwen Hart tragically died aged 34 after falling from the rafters during a highly theatrical entrance #8211; being killed in front of a packed arena of 16,000 fans. /p
pAnd there is also the toll of mental scars, with many wrestlers also dying by suicide. /p
pAshley Massaro, Crash Holly, Chris Kanyon, Mike Awesome, Sean O#8217;Haire, Brian Christopher, Daffney, and others are all reported to have taken their own lives./p
figure id=attachment_23654929 class=wp-caption alignnone style=width: 620pximg decoding=async loading=lazy src=https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/joanie-laurer-k-chyna-former-831476842-1.jpg?strip=allamp;w=610 alt= class=alignnone size-thesun-article-image wp-image-23654929 width=610 height=960 /figcaption class=wp-caption-text/figcaptionfigcreditGetty/figcredit/figureChyna died of a drug overdose after retiring from WWE[/caption]
figure id=attachment_23654960 class=wp-caption alignnone style=width: 730pximg decoding=async loading=lazy src=https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/ashley-massaro-ashley-massaro-autographs-595199399-2.jpg?strip=allamp;w=720 alt= class=alignnone size-thesun-article-image wp-image-23654960 width=720 height=960 /figcaption class=wp-caption-text/figcaptionfigcreditGetty/figcredit/figureAshley Massaro died by suicide after leaving the wrestling business[/caption]