Age of The Nerd
The wrestling world is mourning the loss of one of its most talented and versatile performers, Bray Wyatt, who died unexpectedly at age 36. Wyatt, whose real name was Windham Rotunda, was a third-generation wrestler and a former WWE champion who captivated fans with his dark and twisted characters.
He debuted in WWE in 2010 as Husky Harris, a member of The Nexus, but rose to fame as the leader of The Wyatt Family, a cult-like faction that terrorized the roster with their eerie promos and attacks. Wyatt later reinvented himself as The Fiend, a masked entity that emerged from a Firefly Fun House and unleashed his wrath on his enemies.
The heartbreaking news was revealed in a social media post from Triple H, announcing the news of Wyatt’s passing and requesting that everyone respect the family’s privacy during this difficult time. Initially no official cause of death was revealed; however, we have now learned that Wyatt passed away due to sudden heart attack.
Just received a call from WWE Hall of Famer Mike Rotunda who informed us of the tragic news that our WWE family member for life Windham Rotunda – also known as Bray Wyatt – unexpectedly passed earlier today. Our thoughts are with his family and we ask that everyone respect their…
— Triple H (@TripleH) August 24, 2023
Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com reported that Wyattt suffered a heart attack as a consequence of other heart issues “exacerbated” by a bout with COVID-19. Rotunda last wrestled against LA Knight at this year’s Royal Rumble in January, he had been absent from WWE since that time.
I was given permission to reveal that earlier this year Windham Rotunda (Bray Wyatt) got COVID that exacerbated a heart issues.
There was a lot of positive progress towards a return and his recovery. Unfortunately today he suffered a heart attack and passed away.
— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) August 25, 2023
Wyatt was known for his creativity, charisma and storytelling abilities, as well as his impressive in-ring skills. He won several championships in WWE, including the WWE Championship, the Universal Championship and the Raw Tag Team Championship. Wyatt’s death shocked and saddened many of his peers and fans, who expressed their condolences and tributes on social media. Wyatt is survived by his two children and his fiancée, fellow wrestler JoJo Offerman.
It has also been revealed by WWE that all net proceeds from Bray Wyatt merchandise sales will go to support JoJo Offerman and his children. This will allow fans to directly contribute to Wyatt’s family. This is the first official avenue set up to contribute as of this moment.
Our sincere condolences go out to Bray Wyatt’s [Windham Rotunda] family, friends and fans during this incredibly difficult time!
