Former WWE star Bray Wyatt died untimely when he succumbed to a heart attack on August 24, 2023. Fans and WWE superstars alike had paid their tributes to the third-generation pro wrestler. It was widely known that Wyatt, real name Windham Lawrence Rotunda, was suffering from mental health issues in his life. However, his death due to a heart attack came as a shock to everyone.
Rotunda’s uncle Barry Windham, who was also a famous name in the wrestling industry, suffered from heart failure in December 2022. Rotunda released a heartfelt message in tribute to his uncle who is still alive. That message has gone viral recently because it resonates with present-day events.
View this post on Instagram
In this video, Rotunda says, “I hope everyone out there that’s hearing this, I hope you take this from me. Be good to the ones you love. Always remind them about that how much they mean to you because nothing is forever. Yeah, thank you for everything, guys.”
Rotunda became a known name in the WWE in 2010 as part of ‘The Nexus’ led by Wade Barrett. He went on to create his own identity and legacy at the promotion. ‘The Fiend’ is remembered fondly by the fans.
Bray Wyatt penned down his thoughts frequently as he struggled with mental health issues
Rotunda regularly wrote long captions on his Instagram posts where he dived deep into his thoughts. Some of these captions go back many years.
On January 19, 2020, Rotunda posted a picture of him as ‘The Fiend’ and wrote, “You are stale. They ruined you. He is boring. I hate his matches.
View this post on Instagram
“My life is art. My art’s successes and my loved ones are the only exit I have from my mental health. You have no idea how much a simple, thoughtless comment on social media can directly affect the person you are sending it to…”
On May 19, 2023, he posted pictures of his newborn son Knash Sixx and wrote, “… I lost myself a couple years ago, I never wanted to hurt but I quit on myself. I felt like I wanted to cease completely. Until I realized that mental illness isn’t a weakness it’s a superpower. I am clear now, focused, and ready to be something great…”
View this post on Instagram
He kept motivating himself to do better. However, Rotunda was reportedly an unlikely victim of the mass WWE firings during the COVID-19 period. He was released in July 2021. During the pandemic, he suffered two losses that impacted him negatively. He faced the death of a close college friend along with his former tag-team partner Brodie Lee, aka Luke Harper.
Rotunda made his comeback in the WWE in October 2022 during Extreme Rules. However, in the early months of 2023, he was again on a hiatus, never to return.