Wrestling legends who died too younger – ‘cursed household’ to grim murder-suicide
The Von Erich family lost five out of sixth brothers, with just one member of the ‘cursed’ family surviving. The Daily Star has done a run down of all the wrestlers who died too young
“Cursed” families stalked by tragedy, transitions to the adult industry and murder-suicide characterise the untimely deaths of much of WWE’s fallen stars.
Drug binges often lie at the end of these heroes twisting tales of fame, whilst others have met their tragic early deaths innocently driving their children to practice, or in one case, saving their son from a riptide.
However, one thing these stars have in common is that barely any of them made it past 40, with most dying in their thirties.
The Von Erich family
This family are back in the limelight after A-24’s biopic The Iron Claw, featuring Zac Efron and Jeremy Allen White.
The youngest of the family, Jack, who at just six years of age, was tragically killed after being electrocuted and then drowning in a puddle in Niagara Falls, Canada, in 1959. This heartbreak sparked a furious response from their dad who lashed out in despair, smashing windows of their home. The surviving boys all became wrestling royalty. Kerry, was beefed up and adored by fans; David was the wizard of technical grappling; and Kevin, who was the agile speedster.
READ MORE: BBC Bargain Hunt fans slam ‘hopeless’ experts as team suffer huge lossREAD MORE: M&S electric blanket is 30% off and has special feature for cold feet
David earned high praise as the top “technical” wrestler and was proudly wearing the NWA United States champion crown when tragedy struck again, and he was found lifeless in his hotel during the Japanese tour. It was later disclosed that he died from acute enteritis, which led to his intestines rupturing and filling his body with blood, ultimately causing a fatal heart attack.
Three years on, Mike Von Erich, aged 23, tragically took his own life after developing toxic shock syndrome. Hindered by a shoulder injury and unable to match the success of his older brothers, his illness-induced brain damage made his wrestling performances increasingly distressing for fans.
Chris, the youngest of the Von Erichs, struggled under the weight of his famous siblings’ shadows. Despite this, by the early ’90s, the youthful-looking Von Erich was wrestling full time, often alongside his brother Kevin to makeup for his limited skills. Following Mike’s death, Chris fell into a deep depression and turned to drugs to numb the pain. His situation worsened, and in September 1991, Chris ended his life with a gunshot to the head.
When Kerry, who was tipped for stardom, took his own life in 1993, a week after his 33rd birthday to avoid jail time, it left Kevin Von Erich as the sole surviving brother. By 1990 Kerry’s career was on a downward spiral after an 80s motorcycle accident resulted in the amputation of his right foot. His disability restricted his ring abilities, leading to an addiction to painkillers. Instead of facing prison, the shattered wrestler retreated to his father’s ranch, where he ultimately took his own life, firing a single bullet into his heart, as reported by The Baltimore Sun.
With this, Kerry joined his brothers David, Chris, and Mike, whose lives all ended abruptly and prematurely. WWE legend Bret Hart laid bare in his memoir “Hitman” the harrowing words shared by colleague Kerry: “Kerry confided that he’d made up his mind to join his brothers in heaven.”
Despite Hart’s attempt to dissuade him, noting that Kerry’s children needed their dad, his pleas fell on deaf ears. Tragedy began early in the boys’ lived. Kevin is still alive today and has come to terms with his family’s tumultuous history. After a biopic about his family was released, he told The Guardian that he did not “believe in a curse” concerning his family. He stated: “I believe he’s a fair and loving God that has our best interests at heart.”
Hana Kimura
Kimura, a professional wrestler in Japan, worked for World Wonder Ring Stardom from 2016 to 2020 before joining the cast of the hit reality show “Terrace House” to find “a wonderful romance.”
But nine months later Kimura wound up dead at 22 years old. Found at her home in Tokyo on May 23, along with several suicide notes, the star had been victim to a torrent of online abuse.
Her behaviour on the reality TV show, which she said was prompted by producers, led to a wave of hate. Just hours before Kimura died, she posted to X saying: “Every day, I receive nearly 100 honest opinions and I cannot deny that I get hurt.”
Crash Holly
Michael John “Mike” Lockwood made his wrestling debut in 1989 and spent a decade on the independent circuit before joining the World Wrestling Federation in 1999 as Crash Holly. He later joined forces with his cousin (kayfabe) Hardcore Holly, ultimately winning the WWF World Tag Team Championship.
However, just years later in 2003 an invite from his friend Steven Richards invited him to a party would prove fatal. Lockwood, drunk when he went to sleep, died of suffocating from a regurgitation of his own vomit, according to the autopsy.
Initially the cocktail of drugs and alcohol Lockwood consumed were thought to be the cause of his death, but subsequent examinations classified the death as suicide, without however ruling out a possible accidental death from suffocation.
Owen Hart
The youngest of twelve, Hart’s parents were wrestling promoters. Wrestling was in his blood, and it showed in the string of accolades he racked up during his short life. Hart was a Canadian-American who worked for Stampede Wrestling, New Japan Pro-Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation. The latter was his most successful gig, where he wrestled under both his own name and the ring names The Blue Angel and The Blue Blazer.
Unfortunately, the tragedy of Hart’s death was in the view of thousands of fans. When equipment lowering him into the Kansas City arena malfunctioned, it caused the 34-year-old to plummet to his death in front of a live audience during WWF’s Over the Edge event.
Umaga
Edward Smith Fatu, who went by Umaga and Jamal, was part of the legendary Anoa’i Family, which boasts the likes of Roman Reigns, The Usos, and Solo Sikoa with others such as Rikishi, The Rock, being a part of this lineage in some way or another too.
After a string of successes with the WWE, Umaga took a pause from wrestling,. Then he returned, but not for long. In 2009, Umaga violated WWE’s Wellness Policy for a second time. However, he didn’t enter rehab, which led to WWE making the decision to end his contract. Following a brief period of independent wrestling he died a month after his final match.
Bray Wyatt
Windham Rotunda, came from a family of wrestlers, including his grandfather Blackjack Mulligan, his father Mike Rotunda and his younger brother Bo Dallas.
Born in Florida Wyatt was a state wrestling champion in high school and earned a football scholarship to Troy University. However, he left his course before graduating to become a professional wrestler, making his professional debut in 2009.
The wrestler, who death with mental health issues had taken a break from WWE but was set ti return before his death. He said: “I lost my career. I lost my self-confidence. I lost two people who were very, very close to me. I lost my way.
“And I got to a point where I thought that everything that I’ve ever done here or otherwise, it was all meaningless. Nothing I’ve ever did has ever mattered to anyone. And I was wrong.”
The news was announced by WWE content officer Triple H, external, who posted on social media to announce the 36-year-old had “unexpectedly passed”.
Dwayne Johnson, aka The Rock, was among those paying tribute to the star. Writing on X,, Johnson said he was “heartbroken”, and had “always had tremendous respect and love” for the wrestler. “Loved his presence, promos, in ring work and connection with @WWE universe,” he wrote. “Very unique, cool and rare character, which is hard to create in our crazy world of pro wrestling.”
Jay Briscoe
Jamin Dale Pugh, was known for his time with his brother Mark Briscoe as the Briscoe Brothers in Ring of Honour, where he was a two-time ROH World Champion, ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champion, and record 13-time ROH World Tag Team Champion.
Before his early death at just 38 years old, he was best known as one half of the most legendary tag teams in wrestling, the Briscoe Brothers. However, he tragically dies in a car accident, taking his two daughters to cheer-leading practice. The head-on crash saw the dad of two dead at the scene.
Eddie Guerrero
Another star who died in his late 30s. Eduardo Gory Guerrero Llanes was an American professional wrestler famous for his time in World Wrestling Entertainment and World Championship Wrestling. At the time of his death, Guerrero was one of WWE’s biggest stars on SmackDown. His legend lives on, as two decades later fans often chant his name, and WWE mention him in storylines.
Chavo Guerrero, Eddie’s cousin and WWE tag team partner was in Minneapolis for a fight. But after Eddie failed to answer a hotel wake-up call, Chavo went to his room where he found his cousin on the bathroom floor, unconscious. Eddie died in Chavo’s arms at the age of 38.
Shad Gaspard
At 6ft 7, Gaspard was larger than life. Originally known as “Da Beast” he featured in Tag team Cryme Tyme with partner JTG. Tragically the “beloved performer’s” death came about as he tried to rescue his son. Gaspard was caught in a rip tide with 10-year-old Arye and although his son was rescued lifeguards couldn’t save Gaspard.
His body was later found on Venice Beach in Los Angeles. “Shad drowned in the ocean,” posted Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, “but not before instructing lifeguards to save his son first. That’s the love of a father.”
“I join fans around the world as we remember Shad Gaspard as a beloved performer and a caring father,” tweeted WWE icon Triple H. “Not the ending we wanted to hear,” posted fellow wrestler Tyrus. “We can now mourn and celebrate his life as the hero the father the “beast”. “You are the definition of what it’s meant to be a father, you gave your life without hesitation to save your son.”
Brodie Lee
The American, born Jon Huber, but better known to fans as Brodie Lee or Luke Harper died at age 41. Huber’s wife Amanda said in a post on Instagram that “He passed surrounded by loved ones after a hard fought battle with a non Covid related lung issue.”
He competed as Luke Harper for WWE, before leaving in 2019 and joining All Elite Wrestling (AEW) as Brodie Lee. AEW said it was “heartbroken” at news of the death of Harper, who stopped competing before his death.
Amanda who performed under the name Synndy Synn, described her husband as “the greatest father” to their two children. She said: “I never wanted to write out those words. My heart is broken. The world saw him as the amazing @brodielee (aka Luke Harper) but he was my best friend, my husband, and the greatest father you would ever meet. No words can express the love I feel or how broken I am right now.”
Ashley Massaro
Massaro, a former WWE star and Playboy cover girl, tragically died just 10 days before her 40th birthday. She first made her mark in the wrestling world after winning the WWE Diva Search in 2005 and was quickly incorporated into the Raw brand.
On May 16, 2019, she was found unconscious in her New York home and later pronounced dead at the hospital. It’s been reported that she took her own life.
Chris Benoit
Any of Benoit’s achievements were completely overshadowed when he killed his family and then took his own life. In one of the darkest moments in wrestling history, Benoit, his wife Nancy, and their seven year old son Daniel were found dead in their Fayatteville, Georgia, home in June 2007.
The details of the incident weren’t revealed until days later when it was confirmed that Benoit had killed his wife and child before taking his own life. His toxicology report showed higher-than-normal testosterone levels, leading to media scrutiny of the WWE and a federal investigation into steroid use and brain injuries caused by the violent sport.
Chyna
Chyna, whose real name was Joan Laurer, was a trailblazer in the world of wrestling, becoming the first woman to participate in the Royal Rumble. She gained fame as part of D-Generation X, alongside Triple H during her time with WWE.
Later she modelled for Playboy and transitioned into adult films, which led to her being effectively blacklisted from WWE until her death in 2016. Laurer starred in six adult films between 2004 and 2013, including one titled “1 Night in Chyna”.
On April 20, 2016, she was found dead at her home in Redondo Beach, California, at 46. An autopsy revealed that she had died on April 17 due to an overdose of alcohol, mixed with a cocktail of drugs.
For emotional support, you can call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123, email [email protected], visit a Samaritans branch in person or go to the Samaritans website.
