Wrestler Sara Lee dies aged 30. 5 other WWE wrestlers who died in the middle of their careers

The wrestling world woke up to a shock on October 7, when it learnt about the death of former NXT wrestler and winner of World Wrestling Entertainment's (WWE) 'Tough Enough' show, Sara Lee.

Lee was 30. The news of her death was announced by her mother on Facebook. The cause of her death is still unknown. She was married to fellow former WWE wrestler Westin Blake (real name Cory Weston). She leaves behind 2 children.

Lee, however, is not the first wrestling entertainment player who has died in the middle of their career. There have been several other WWE wrestlers who had passed away at the prime of their careers.

Here are 5 of them:

1. Eddie Guerrero: He was a very popular figure in WWE and when he died in 2005, it left his fans and friends heartbroken.

• He was one of the biggest superstars in WWE and in 2004 he had won the WWE championship defeating Brock Lesnar for the title.
• The Texas-born wrestler is said to have caught into substance abuse which ultimately cost him his life.
• He was found dead in a hotel room. He was 38.

2. Luke Harper: Luker Harper died on December 27, 2020 at the age of 41 due to a non-Covid-19 lung illness.

• His real name was John Huber. At All Elite Wrestling (AEW), Harper's in-ring name was Brodie Lie.
• He had won the contract with WWE in 2012 and first performed in NXT before coming to WWE.
• He had started making names in WWE performing as a team called Wyatt Family with Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman.
• The trio went on to feud with big names like the Undertaker, Kane and The Shield.

3. Umaga: He was a giant wrestler and cousin of former wrestler and Hollywood actor Dwayne Johnson and Roman Reigns.

• His real name was Edward Fatu and just like his cousins, he started wrestling at a very young age.
• Umaga died at the age of 36 due to a heart attack. His autopsy revealed the issue of drug abuse, something because of which many wrestlers have suffered and died.
• He had rejoined WWE in 2005 under ring name Umaga and went on to win an Intercontinental Championship in 2007.
• Umaga was released from WWE, when he refused a drug rehabilitation program of WWE.
• After six months, he died.

4. Chris Benoit: Of all the deaths of superstars, the death of Chris Benoit was the most shocking.

• Benoit was said to have killed his wife and his son before hanging himself to death in 2007.
• The autopsies revealed that his brain due to several concussions he suffered in the ring, looked like that of an 85 year-old man with Alzheimer disease.
• Also, his heart was so enlarged due to substance abuse and steroids that he could have died any day. 
• Nevertheless, Benoit was a renowned wrestler in pro-wrestling and his death led WWE make some major changes in drugs policy.

5. Shad Gaspard: The 39-year-old wrestler died a tragic death at the Venice Beach in Los Angeles in May 2020, when he went out for swimming with his 10-year-old son.

• They were swept away by a huge wave and Shad had instructed the lifeguards to save his son first. While the men could save the child, Gaspard was swept away with another wave.
• Gaspard was a professional WWE wrestler and together with his partner JTG would, the two were known as Cryme Tyme boys.