Over One-Third Of The Performers From Wrestlemania VII Have Died

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The list of talent who have died since the memorable show include some of the biggest stars in the history of the professional wrestling industry such as Randy Savage, Andre the Giant, Miss Elizabeth and Mr. Perfect. Causes of death include suicides, murder and heart attacks, some the result of years of anabolic steroid use. Warrior passed away in the parking lot of the Gainey Suites Hotel while walking to his car with his wife. TMZ.com is reporting that he clutched his chest and collapsed, which are signs of a heart attack. Savage, his WrestleMania VII opponent, died on May 20, 2011 after suffering an apparent heart attack behind the wheel of his truck. The other featured players in the match, Miss Elizabeth and Queen Sherri, both passed away after overdosing on a variety of drugs (Miss Elizabeth in 2003, Queen Sherri in 2007).

Not counting the deaths of Gorilla Monsoon (62, natural causes) and Lord Alfred Hayes (76), sixteen performers have died prematurely -- Ultimate Warrior (54, 'catastrophic medical event'), Randy "Macho King" Savage (58, heart attack), Andre the Giant (46, heart failure), Mr. Perfect (44, drug overdose), Miss Elizabeth (42, drug overdose), The British Bulldog (39, heart attack), Dino Bravo (44, gunshot), The Texas Tornado (33, suicide), Hawk (46, heart attack), Hercules (47, heart disease), Earthquake (42, bladder cancer), Queen Sherri (49, drug overdose), Crush (44, unconfirmed), Big Boss Man (41, heart attack), Paul Bearer (58, heart attack) and Joey Marella (31, car accident).

if you just focus on the drugs, suicides etc it perhaps shows how WWE needs a better retirement and councilling plan. Obviously steroid use then was extreme, but now there is still the painkiller addictions, divorces/family strain and depression in wrestlers. They give so much to the business and in the end when their body is broken they are, in general, left behind.

Agree with Sexton, they should try to set-up some sort of counselling group for former wrestlers. If you're not a well known guy but retire, you're hardly heard of anymore. Which is a shame really because you have a problem you should be offered/given help.

I think they do have some sort of support group, in the Scott Hall documentary on ESPN, Steph said that they have spent thousands on his recovery.

I am not sure if it goes far enough or if it applies to all guys and not just high profile ones. I think the unfortunate thing is that things have changed now with testing and the like so these deaths should happen less and less going forward, but as things only changed in the last 15 years say, things are going to stay like this for the foreseeable until all those who were part of the new procedures are no longer with us.

ashton430 wrote:

I think they do have some sort of support group, in the Scott Hall documentary on ESPN, Steph said that they have spent thousands on his recovery.

I am not sure if it goes far enough or if it applies to all guys and not just high profile ones. I think the unfortunate thing is that things have changed now with testing and the like so these deaths should happen less and less going forward, but as things only changed in the last 15 years say, things are going to stay like this for the foreseeable until all those who were part of the new procedures are no longer with us.

I'm sure I read somewhere that WWE's rehab policy applies to anyone who has worked for them which is something as they're not obliged to help anyone who they no longer employ. But i do agree that it would be good if they could do something so that it doesn't get to the point where people are going into rehab in the first place.

I honestly can't see how they can avoid wrestlers getting to a stage where they don't have the problem to begin with. Possibley a real reason Punk may have left if it's not a work. If he's banged up he's straight edge, he can't touch the pain killers and probably doesn't want to get to a stage where he has to. So many wrestlers do turn to them because of one simple reason, they need to. Then if they stop taking them the pain comes back, so alot just keep at it.

I genuinely don't know how Edge copes. Maybe because he has been able to get acting work. But his life is astonishing. 3 or 4 wrecked relationships/marriages, lita etc. A Pain killer diet. I think he was on steroids. Eddie died. Then Benoit died, then it turned out, actually his friend murdered his family. He was forced to retire from the one thing he put ahead of everything else because of the specific things he did in the ring . It seems like too much for one person. It's not too different from others too, it's almost common, though maybe not as much

But you can say that about loads of them. HBK has utterly shot knees, most of the original ECW should be dead, X-PAC, Regal, Scott Hall is wrestlings Keith Richards and should have died... Just makes you wonder what state someone like Randy Orton and Dolph Ziggler will be in in a few years with the bumps they seem to take every week.