UPDATE (8/25/2023):
A day after the death of WWE‘s Bray Wyatt was announced, Fightful reporter Sean Ross Sapp shared the wrestler’s reported cause of death publicly on social media.
In a tweet, Sapp wrote, “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.”
As originally reported, below, Wyatt, whose birth name is Windham Rotunda, was 36.
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
ORIGINAL STORY (8/24/2023 at 7:26 pm ET):
WWE family member, known as Bray Wyatt in the ring (his real name was Windham Rotunda), has died. The pro wrestler was just 36 years old.
News of Wyatt’s death was shared by WWE’s Chief Content Officer and 14-time Champion, Triple-H who tweeted the sad news. “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 privacy at this time.”
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
(Credit: WWE)
No cause of death has been provided at this time, but as Triple-H’s statement declares it was unexpected. Born William Lawrence Rotunda, Bray Wyatt comes from a strong legacy of American pro wrestlers starting with his grandfather Blackjack Mulligan, and his father Mike Rotunda, who as Triple-H points out, above, is a Hall of Famer. Meanwhile, Wyatt’s uncles Barry and Kendall Windham have been wrestlers.
Wyatt’s younger brother Taylor Rotunda is also a pro best known under the name Bo Dallas. Signing with WWE, Wyatt made his ring debut with the entity in 2009. Alongside his brother, Wyatt held the FCW Florida Tag Team Championship twice while in WWE’s Florida Championship Wrestling territory. Appearing on WWE’s main roster from 2010 to 2011, Wyatt also competed under names like Husky Harris, Alex Rotunda, Axl Mulligan, Duke Rotundo, and The Fiend, and was notably a member of The Nexus.
His persona as Wyatt is described by WWE as “seemingly much more lighthearted” as he’d welcome “his fireflies in the WWE Universe to his Firefly Fun House.” Friends of Wyatt included Mercy the Buzzard, Abby the Witch, Rambling Rabbit, and Huskus the Pig Boy.
While Wyatt did leave WWE for a brief time, he returned in 2022 with WWE Extreme Rules. Along with his return to the ring, Wyatt was joined by a mysterious Uncle Howdy, and together they’ve caused more mysteries in the WWE Universe.
Wyatt leaves behind fiancee JoJo (also a WWE star) and their two children, along with two other kids from a previous marriage.