Road Warrior Animal - Joe Laurinaitis - RIP

[Bio]

Now they're both gone...RIP!

https://www.wwe.com/article/road-warrior-animal-passes-away

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1308747451415830529

 

[sbaker1061]

i wonder if anyone knows what happened? he seemed very healthy when i saw him about 2 years ago

 

[danieltx]

i wonder if anyone knows what happened? he seemed very healthy when i saw him about 2 years ago

Reports so far say he passed of natural causes at 60. Him and his wife were at a resort to celebrate their anniversary, which was Wednesday, and unfortunately he passed Tuesday evening.

There's no telling how many people were inspired to get huge by seeing The Road Warriors when they were kids.

 

[maldorf]

Are any of these wrestlers still alive? Only one I dont know is the guy on the far right. Sad to see them all gone.

 

[tripleOT]

Way too young. RIP

 

[Bio]

Are any of these wrestlers still alive? Only one I dont know is the guy on the far right. Sad to see them all gone.

View attachment 121046

That's Kerry Von Erich on the far right. He committed suicide in '93. Everyone in that picture is deceased.

 

[maldorf]

His brother died of a heart attack at age 46. Probably heart problems here too. Joseph outlived his partner by 14 years.

"Hegstrand died on October 19, 2003 in the early morning in his home in Indian Rocks Beach, Florida.[40][3] He was 46 years old. His friends said that he and his wife Dale had recently bought a condominium near their current home and were packing their boxes the night before. Hegstrand said that he felt tired and went to take a nap. When his wife checked on him at about 1 a.m., he had died of a sudden heart attack. At the time of his death, Hawk and Animal were working on a book about their careers. "

 

[maldorf]

That's Kerry Von Erich on the far right. He committed suicide in '93. Everyone in that picture is deceased.

Rick Flair must be one of the oldest surviving pro wrestlers now. He is the oldest I can think of. He is doing ok at least. i think he has had some health problems, but thats to be expected when you are 71 years old.

 

[Bio]

His brother died of a heart attack at age 46. Probably heart problems here too. Joseph outlived his partner by 14 years.

"Hegstrand died on October 19, 2003 in the early morning in his home in Indian Rocks Beach, Florida.[40][3] He was 46 years old. His friends said that he and his wife Dale had recently bought a condominium near their current home and were packing their boxes the night before. Hegstrand said that he felt tired and went to take a nap. When his wife checked on him at about 1 a.m., he had died of a sudden heart attack. At the time of his death, Hawk and Animal were working on a book about their careers. "

Mike Hegstrand is the other Road Warrior, Hawk. He had a long history of abusing rec drugs and alcohol.

 

[maldorf]

Good list here of the oldest pro wrestlers. Flair is not the oldest by a long shot.

List of oldest surviving professional wrestlers - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Sides]

That's sad to hear; the Road Warriors/Legion of Doom were incredible in their time. Fucking beasts.

I remember being in high school in 1985-6, just starting out lifting weights, and seeing a promotional poster for the Road Warriors coming to town, and how awestruck I was, and how much they inspired my workouts. The traps on those guys...

 

[11111]

That's sad to hear; the Road Warriors/Legion of Doom were incredible in their time. Fucking beasts.

I remember being in high school in 1985-6, just starting out lifting weights, and seeing a promotional poster for the Road Warriors coming to town, and how awestruck I was, and how much they inspired my workouts. The traps on those guys...

That's awesome! Sides, the Duchaine quote in your bio is awesome! Reading it makes me feel nostalgic for a time that I never lived in (I'm a young guy)...

 

[11111]

This is sad... I briefly knew his son James who played for St. Louis/New Orleans in the NFL and played for Ohio State in college. Kid was a tackling machine for OSU in college! Wicked nice kid, really feel bad for him losing his dad so young.....

 

[Bio]

Joe was a second dad to (Road Warrior Hawk) Mike Hegstand's son when he died. He must be devastated, he's lost two fathers now.

 

[bad rad]

Sad stuff. The Road Warriors were hilarious back then. I followed the Von Erich family as a kid. I always wanted to look like that but I'm too short. At least I'm wide, 24" shoulder width and small waisted.

 

[Sides]

That's awesome! Sides, the Duchaine quote in your bio is awesome! Reading it makes me feel nostalgic for a time that I never lived in (I'm a young guy)...

Thanks, I appreciate that. Threads like this make us all nostalgic for the old times, when all of us were younger and in awe of the bodybuilders, wrestlers, powerlifters, and other athletes we knew, or had seen, or had heard of, and they served as inspiration for what we wanted to be ourselves.

But as Robert Frost noted, nothing gold can stay. All the heroes we look up to will eventually get old, get sick, and die, as we will ourselves. The Earth keeps turning, but fewer of us will be here the next time it circles the sun. All we can do is enjoy the time we have here while we can, make the most of our time under the sun, make some memories and try to leave some memories behind for those who come after us.

Time to take my baby daughter for a walk and enjoy this beautiful fall day, before it also turns to winter. Carpe diem and all that.

 

[bad rad]

Are any of these wrestlers still alive? Only one I dont know is the guy on the far right. Sad to see them all gone.

View attachment 121046

Rumor is Dingo/Ultimate Warrior was on 10K mg a week. Pro wrestling is terrible on people. Even the Rock's grandpa, Peter Maivia, died fairly young before PEDs were so rampant. Makes me wonder if pharm stimulates are a thing due to their schedules.

 

[Sides]

Rumor is Dingo/Ultimate Warrior was on 10K mg a week. Pro wrestling is terrible on people. Even the Rock's grandpa, Peter Maivia, died fairly young before PEDs were so rampant. Makes me wonder if pharm stimulates are a thing due to their schedules.

Wrestlers are on everything. Being on the road all the time traveling, having a crazy schedule, and the injuries from abusing their bodies training and performing for the fans, lead to them taking a crazy amount of substances. Amphetamines and other stimulants to get up, alcohol and benzos to get down, steroids to get big, diet drugs to get lean, muscle relaxers and painkillers to deal with injuries and perform despite the pain, alcohol and rec drugs to party...it's a hell of a lifestyle, and no wonder so many wrestlers die early.

 

[bad rad]

Wrestlers are on everything. Being on the road all the time traveling, having a crazy schedule, and the injuries from abusing their bodies training and performing for the fans, lead to them taking a crazy amount of substances. Amphetamines and other stimulants to get up, alcohol and benzos to get down, steroids to get big, diet drugs to get lean, muscle relaxers and painkillers to deal with injuries and perform despite the pain, alcohol and rec drugs to party...it's a hell of a lifestyle, and no wonder so many wrestlers die early.

I agree, that's the life but WOW! It still has a terrible aspect being a performer or not. The guys/gals don't make it big are the ones that suffer the most. Think Maddog.

 

[maldorf]

I agree, that's the life but WOW! It still has a terrible aspect being a performer or not. The guys/gals don't make it big are the ones that suffer the most. Think Maddog.

I knew a couple of pro wrestlers that never made it big. Luckily one guy was already a nurse and then became a nurse practitioner. One time he was in the hospital for a month or more when he got run through with a spear! It was a gag gone wrong. He finally gave up on the wrestling. He had a great physique too and was smart.

He said it was very hard to make it in the sport. I think I remember him saying its who you know.