Imagine the excitement of boys and girls across America when they get to see their favorite superstars swing across the ropes and enter a heart-pounding match. For decades, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) has served as a gateway for sports entertainment, film, and additional media and has produced some of the most iconic figures in pop culture. Thanks to WWE, names like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Hulk Hogan, John Cena, and Dave Bautista have pretty much become a part of our vocabulary. Still, behind the spotlights and cheers, the men and women of the WWE are humans just like the rest of us and have (unfortunately) suffered from severe forms of addiction. Even more tragic, some of them have lost their lives to this degenerative disease. Let’s take a closer look at three professional wrestlers who died as a direct result of drug addiction.
Miss Elizabeth (1960-2003)
Fans of the Savage-Hogan era of WWE will recognize this lady as one of the most beautiful women in the company’s history. During the height of her career, Miss Elizabeth was married to wrestling icon Randy “Macho Man” Savage, and their romantic relationship was a powerhouse love story for many fans of WWE during this time. However, while Elizabeth was presented as gentle and sweet, she was facing a horde of demons outside the ring, including addiction to alcohol and drugs. After divorcing Savage, she entered a relationship with Lex Luger and entered a tailspin of controversies. Sometime later, in 2003, Miss Elizabeth was found dead, the result of a deadly cocktail of painkillers and vodka.
Test (1975-2009)
When it comes to the Attitude Era, one of the strongest powerhouses for the WWE was Test (Andrew Martin). Regarded as the “muscle man” of the company, this mega-man was featured in major kayfabe (fictional wrestling stories) incidences and entered a multitude of championships including the European Championship, Hardcore Championship, Intercontinental Championship, and Tag Team Belts. Destined to be a groundbreaking WWE Superstar, Test, unfortunately, sank into hot water for his heavy drug use. After inching out of WWE, he joined TNA (Total Nonstop Action) Wrestling, where his condition got worse. After more years of suffering, Test died in his apartment after accidentally overdosing on the opioid Oxycodone.
Always remember that drugs and alcohol do not have control over your life. You do. Are you suffering from a substance use disorder or a severe form of addiction? Do you have a friend or family member suffering from one or more of these debilitating illnesses? If you do, get in touch with Asana Recovery today. Our counselors and healthcare experts are ready to walk you through every step of the detox and withdrawal process and rehabilitation and guide you towards living a happier, healthier, and freer lifestyle. While the road to recovery might not be an easy road to travel, we promise to help you every step of the way. Take the first step to stay fit, healthy, and safe.
The time for you to take back control of your life is now. If you are interested in one of our residential treatment or supervised detoxification/withdrawal programs, we are ready and waiting to speak with you at your disclosure. Call Asana now at (949) 438-4504 to learn how to overcome your drug abuse, alcohol abuse, or addiction troubles today.
