Legendary pro-wrestler for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Kevin Sullivan has died, according to announcement made on the company’s website on Friday. He was 74-years-old. The news of Sullivan’s passing was confirmed through a post made on the Instagram page of the “Taskmaster Talks” podcast, which he hosted.
“Rest in peace, Kevin Sullivan. Your legacy will never fade and I’ll see you on the other side, my friend,” his co-host John Poz said in the post.
Check out more details on Sullivan and his sudden death via The NY Post:
Sullivan recently required 24-hour care and some financial help from his friends and family, according to a post on July 8, which included a link to a GoFund Me set up to “help him through this difficult time.” It included photos of Sullivan, who was in a wheelchair and wore an oxygen tube, with Andrew Anderson — a former wrestler, who known as The Reinforcer in the ring.
https://www.instagram.com/p/C9LSKPnPsgZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=invalid&ig_rid=a72feead-e8fe-4929-813a-36488e95c936
Back in May, Sullivan underwent an unexpected surgery another post revealed.
“On May 12th, 2024, while in Florida for autograph signings, Kevin suffered a devastating accident,” the description on the GoFund Me page stated. “He underwent emergency surgery that saved his leg and life but faced severe complications, including sepsis and encephalitis. This unforeseen catastrophe has placed an immense financial burden on his family, as Kevin has been in and out of consciousness in the ICU, far from home.”
During his time in the wild and wacky world of professional wrestling, Sullivan spent most of his time portraying characters and personas known as “heels.” These are, more or less, the villains of the storylines played out in the ring. There were a number of rivalries Sullivan had with other legends in the realm of sports entertainment, including ones with Dusty Rhodes, Hulk Hogan, The Road Warriors, and Barry Windham. After retiring from the ring, he then started working for World Championship Wrestling as a booker, someone who helps put matches together for the various programs that get aired on television and pay-per-view.
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“A unique and influential figure in sports-entertainment history, Sullivan found success both in the ring and behind the scenes with his penchant for far out ideas that pushed creative boundaries,” the WWE remarked about Sullivan’s career.
Another great in the industry, Ric Flair, referred to Sullivan as “An All Time Great Athlete & Friend,” in a post published on X. “I Am So Saddened To Hear About Kevin Sullivan’s Passing,” he wrote. “Rest In Peace Kevin!”
I Am So Saddened To Hear About Kevin Sullivan’s Passing. Rest In Peace Kevin! You Were An All Time Great Athlete & Friend! 🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/QYBVuhpbJu
— Ric Flair® (@RicFlairNatrBoy) August 9, 2024
Triple H, the chief content officer of WWE, also heaped praise on Sullivan for the passion and creativity he brought to wrestling.
“Kevin Sullivan had one of the most unique minds in the history of our industry, pushing creative boundaries and developing some of the most intriguing characters to step into the ring,” Triple H, whose real name is Paul Levesque, stated on X. “He had an unwavering passion for what we do. My thoughts are with his family, friends & fans.”
Pray for Sullivans friends and families as they mourn this tremendous loss.