Heartbreaking Final Social Media Posts Of Professional Wrestlers

In the world of professional wrestling, performers use social media to connect with their fans and further the angles on television, such as how World Wrestling Entertainment's Drew McIntyre and CM Punk kept their on-screen feud alive on X and Instagram. The audience, though, doesn't know when a wrestler's post will be their last one because the sands of time have run out. In some cases, their final messages might be something eerily prophetic or posted in character, but it hits harder when the reader understands the context of when it was posted and what happened afterward.

For Jay Briscoe, his last post featured a little bit of humor and his brother and tag team partner, Mark, in the picture. Bray Wyatt's final social media post proved to be a collaboration video with the WWE that played up his feud with LA Knight and contained a phrase that many fans feel reads differently now. British pro wrestler Lionheart quoted a line from Ricky Gervais' heart-wrenching Netflix series "After Life," which is all about the topic of death, and the next day he was gone.

Much like the tragic final words wrestlers said before they died, reading these social media posts isn't easy. That said, it puts life into context and reminds us that no one knows when a day will be their last, so cherish every moment and make them count.

Windham Rotunda, better known as Bray Wyatt, came from a pedigreed wrestling family, with his father, Mike Rotunda, and grandfather, Blackjack Mulligan, being well-known performers in their respective heydays. Wyatt established a remarkable career for himself in the WWE. After shaking off the ghastly gimmick of Husky Harris, he created the persona of cult leader Bray Wyatt before evolving into the supernatural Fiend and claiming the Universal Championship. His final gimmick blended the last two personas and continued to focus on paranormal elements to torment his opponents.

In what would prove to be his last major feud in the WWE, Wyatt battled "The Megastar" LA Knight. In the build-up to their clash at the 2023 Royal Rumble, Wyatt and WWE collaborated on an Instagram post that promoted their upcoming match via a spooky video package. The caption read: "Enjoy the light while it lasts. The dark is calling for you."

Not too long after his win over Knight, Wyatt disappeared from WWE television altogether. According to Fightful, Wyatt contracted COVID-19, which had a negative impact on a heart-related issue that the performer had. Wyatt stepped away from the squared circle to recover and focus on his health as he planned to make a later comeback. However, on August 24, 2023, he died from a heart attack at the age of 36.

Thanks to WWE's reality-based competition "Tough Enough," Sara Lee earned herself a one-year pro wrestling contract worth $250,000 as one of the winners of the 2015 edition of the show. Resultantly, Lee received the opportunity to train at the WWE Performance Center and be a part of the NXT roster as she sharpened her in-ring and promo skills. However, her time with WWE was short-lived, as she was released from her contract in late 2016.

Lee stayed connected to the wrestling industry via her marriage to Wesley Blake, who performed for the WWE at one point, and they had three children together. On October 4, 2022, Lee posted a selfie on Instagram with the caption: "Celebrating finally being healthy enough to go to the gym 2 days in a row. First ever sinus infection kicked my butt."

A day after her Instagram post, though, news reports surfaced that Lee had passed away. According to the medical examiner's report (via NBC News), she died by suicide. Lee was only 30 years old.

Anyone who followed Extreme Championship Wrestling in the '90s will be well aware of the influence of Axl Rotten, who teamed up with his storyline brother Ian Rotten as part of the hard-hitting tag team known as the Bad Breed. Apart from his storied time in ECW, Rotten traversed the indie circuit and even popped up in the WWE and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling on occasion.

The tragic truth about the life of a professional wrestler is that the body suffers. Known for his brutal and bloody matches, Rotten's career ended after back injuries required him to receive an expensive surgery that he was trying to raise money for. He still remained connected to his fans and the industry, though, by uploading and discussing wrestling-related content on his X account. On February 4, 2016, Rotten posted the following message on X: "The way I do things may not be the way you do things but you will find out there is only 1 way. My away!"

Later that same day, Rotten, born Brian Knighton, was found dead in a McDonald's bathroom in Linthicum Heights, Maryland. According to WBAL-TV's report, Rotten's death was ruled an accidental drug overdose. He was 44 years old.

Jamin Pugh, better known as Jay Briscoe, carved out a legacy in Ring of Honor as he reached the summit as a two-time ROH World Champion, while he and his real-life brother, Mark, also secured countless tag team championships and put on a series of unforgettable matches against duos such as FTR. When it came to tag wrestling, there weren't many better than or even on the same level as the Briscoes.

Outside of the ring, though, Briscoe was a family man through and through. His social media profiles contain countless images and videos of special moments with his wife, Ashley, their three children, and his brother. On January 17, 2023, Briscoe shared a picture on X of him wearing a hat while his brother ate cookies, with the caption: "New hat." It was a fun, lighthearted post that captured both his and Mark's sense of humor.

That same day, Briscoe died on the way to drop off his daughters at cheerleading practice. The Delaware State Police reported that the driver of a Chevrolet Silverado 1500 crossed the lane and hit Briscoe's Chevrolet Silverado 2500 head on. Both Briscoe and the other driver were pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, while his children were taken to a hospital for treatment. Briscoe was 38 years old.

The man born Virgil Runnels, but better known as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, remains an iconic name in the pro wrestling sphere. Not only did he win countless titles and serve as a booker in various promotions, but he also played a major role in shaping the next generation of performers as he became a trainer for NXT. In fact, modern-day performers such as Sami Zayn, Bayley, and Finn Bálor studied under Rhodes and have discussed the impact and influence he had on their respective careers.

The American Dream wasn't shy about using his social media platform to elevate the talent, either. In what proved to be his last public post on X in June 2015, Rhodes praised the abilities of Becky Lynch, writing: "Lynch, NXT Star Time she be great, top 5 of last 5 years! Max #1." At the time, Lynch wasn't a household name or anywhere near the main event scene; however, Rhodes' words proved to be prophetic as she went on to become one of the biggest stars in WWE a couple years later.

A few days after his X post, Rhodes died from kidney failure, as per The Guardian. He was 69 years old.

In terms of professional wrestlers you may not know passed away, one of the names on this list is Reid Flair, born Richard Reid Fliehr II. Out of all the Flairs in the industry, Reid wasn't as well known as his father, Ric, or sister, Charlotte; however, his passing at the age of 25 prevented him from having the chance to leave his own substantial mark on the pro wrestling business. On March 29, 2013, Flair was found dead in a Charlotte, North Carolina, hotel room. According to the autopsy report (via Associated Press), the cause of death was determined to be a drug overdose.

A day before he died, though, Flair posted a hopeful message on X, celebrating the time he spent with his father and looking forward to the future. He wrote: "Two shows in Maryland this weekend with [Ric Flair]. Good [wrestling] and even better times ahead." Appearing on "Club Shay Shay" in 2023, Ric Flair became visibly emotional discussing his son, revealing how he had been the person to find him on the day of Reid's death and how his son had been on life support several times before.

Michael Jones made a name for himself in the WWE, where he competed under the name of Virgil in the late '80s. He served as the on-screen bodyguard for "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase, where he would interfere in his employer's matches and help him cheat to win. Eventually, Virgil turned on DiBiase, briefly winning the Million Dollar Championship and establishing himself as a fan-favorite wrestler. Virgil departed the WWE for World Championship Wrestling in 1996 and changed his name to Vincent, becoming a member of the legendary faction the New World Order.

Even though his in-ring career slowed down, Virgil remained a figure in the industry for decades, appearing at fan conventions and unexpectedly popping up in various promotions. There was simply no denying that wrestling was an important part of his life. On February 5, 2024, Virgil posted a picture on his Instagram account of André the Giant with the WWF Championship draped over his shoulder after the Eighth Wonder of the World had won it from Hulk Hogan at "The Main Event" 36 years earlier. In the caption for the photo, Virgil humorously ran down his influence on André's win and the careers of others.

The retrospective post about one of the most famous moments in wrestling proved to be his last, as Virgil died in his sleep later that month after having had two strokes as well as being diagnosed with dementia and colon cancer, as per his friend Mark Charles III's comments to Observer-Reporter. His age was a matter of debate, with Charles and wrestling historian Tom Leturgey claiming Virgil was 72 years old while other outlets reported his age as 61.

Jonathan Huber cut his teeth in the pro wrestling industry by wrestling under the name of Brodie Lee in the early 2000s. Eventually he signed with the WWE, where he performed as Luke Harper and appeared as a part of the infamous Wyatt Family alongside Bray Wyatt, Erick Rowan, and Braun Strowman. After being released from his WWE contract in 2019, he reverted to the Brodie Lee name and signed with All Elite Wrestling in 2020.

In his first year with AEW, Lee led the Dark Order faction and captured the AEW TNT Championship from Cody Rhodes. Eventually, Lee lost the championship back to Rhodes. On October 7, 2020, he posted a message on X where he paid tribute to his opponent, writing: "Much respect to Cody Rhodes."

It would be Lee's final post on X, and he would disappear from AEW television. In December 2020, Lee's wife, Amanda, confirmed on her Instagram account that he had died. Appearing on the "AEW Unrestricted" podcast, Amanda revealed his official cause of death to be idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Lee was 41 years old.

In the early '90s, Scott Hall turned himself into a superstar as Razor Ramon in the WWE. As "The Bad Guy," Hall established himself as a beloved fan-favorite character, capturing the Intercontinental Championship on several occasions and having outstanding ladder matches with "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels. In 1996, he departed WWE for WCW, where he competed under his real name and became one of the founding members of the nWo, alongside Hulk Hogan and Kevin Nash.

In 2014, Hall was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as Razor Ramon. Then, he was inducted a second time as part of the nWo in 2020, though the induction ceremony only took place a year later because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It obviously meant a lot for Hall to be inducted with his pals, as he posted a picture of the inductees on his Instagram account in April 2021 with the caption: "WWE Hall of Fame 2020... Going in once was [s]weet. Going in with your [b]uddies, everyone for a second time is just [too sweet]." For those who don't know, "too sweet" was the name of the hand gesture that Hall and his friends would flash to each other on television.

The picture would be his last post on Instagram, as he died in March 2022 when he was taken off life support after developing complications from hip replacement surgery (via Pro Wrestling Torch). He was 63, but fans will never forget the tragedies and triumphs of Scott Hall.

Shad Gaspard was best known for his time in WWE as one half of the exciting tag team known as Cryme Tyme. While his partner JTG was known more for his athleticism and speed, Gaspard was the muscle and power of the group. On May 16, 2020, he showed off how strong he was in an Instagram video. In the footage, Gaspard flips over a 600-pound tire at the gym several times, while claiming in the caption that most individuals couldn't do what he did more than twice.

A few days later, Gaspard displayed a different kind of strength when he and his 10-year-old son, Aryeh, headed off to Venice Beach to go swimming, according to The New York Times. The waves turned turbulent and a lifeguard ran into the water to get to them. Gaspard insisted that the lifeguard save his son first before he was sucked up by the ocean's waves and couldn't be rescued. Three days later, his body was found on the beach. The 39-year-old Gaspard's heroism for thinking only about his son's safety saw him praised by the wrestling community, and he was recognized as the winner of WWE's Warrior Award in 2022.

Ashley Massaro won the WWE Diva Search in 2005, becoming a part of the global wrestling promotion. She both wrestled in the company and served as valet before being released in 2008. Massaro wasn't only confined to the squared circle, though, as she crossed over into the mainstream, appearing on television shows such as "Survivor" and "Smallville" and cameoing in music videos for the likes of Timbaland and Rev Theory.

In 2016, The Boston Globe reported that Massaro had joined a lawsuit against the WWE in which one of her allegations said she was sexually assaulted on the promotion's trip to Kuwait. Massaro claimed to have reported the incident to the WWE, but she was coaxed into not pursuing any charges.

On May 15, 2019, Massaro was working as a radio DJ and posted an image of a pile of letters on X, with the caption: "Just answered a ton of [fan mail] so you guys should be receiving them soon! Love ya punx." A day later, she died by suicide, as reported by USA Today. Massaro was 39, becoming one of the pro wrestlers who died before turning 40.

British wrestler Adrian McCallum used the name Lionheart when competing in the squared circle. While not a household name in America, Lionheart built up a solid reputation in the European wrestling circuit, especially in the Scottish-based promotion Insane Championship Wrestling, where he served as the company's world champion until his death by suicide in June 2019, as reported by Daily Record.

News of the 36-year-old wrestler's death rocked the wrestling world, with notable performers such as Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Pete Dunne posting heartfelt messages about Lionheart. What made the event more tragic for fans and friends was the nature of Lionheart's last post on X the day he died. He quoted the Ricky Gervais Netflix show "After Life" and wrote: "One day you will eat your last meal, You will smell your last flower, you will hug your friend for the last time. You might not know it's the last time, that's why you must do everything you love with passion."

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, needs help with addiction issues, or has been a victim of sexual assault, contact the relevant resources below:

• Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
• Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
• Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).