Umaga passes away today.

Eki “Eddie” Fatu died in Houston on Friday after a massive heart attack, adding a long list of professional wrestlers who died by the age of 40.

The 36-year old Fatu, who achieved his greatest fame in recent years as a star in the industry-leading World Wrestling Entertainment under the name “Umaga,” was found unconscious in his Spring, TX living room by his wife, who had him rushed to the hospital. Fatu had a second heart attack in the hospital before he died.

Fatu, who was memorable for his distinct facial tattoos, comes from a large family of Samoan wrestlers who have influenced the business for several generations, beginning with his uncles, the brother combination of Afa and Sika Anoi’a, who formed a successful act known as “The Wild Samoans” in the 1970s and ’80s. The most famous member of the clan is cousin Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who left wrestling for Hollywood fame.

Fatu’s career peak came in 2007, as he co-headlined Wrestlemania 23 in Detroit, a card that received a ton of publicity for a storyline involving WWE owner Vince McMahon and Donald Trump. But his run at the top was short-lived, and he was released from his WWE contract on June 8 when he refused to go into rehab after a second violation of the WWE’s drug policy.

Fatu had recently returned from an independent wrestling tour of Australia when he was stricken.

“On behalf of my family, the Anoa’i and Fatu family, we are devastated and shocked by the loss of our Eki,” Afa Anoa’i told the Wrestling Observer. Our son, nephew, brother, cousin, husband, father. Our hearts are broken, and words can’t express what each of us are feeling. It is so comforting to know how loved Eki is by his family, peers, friends, and most of all his fans.”
 
This whole wrestlers dying at a young age is starting to become a really sad trend.
Thats because they are either Obese, (Umaga) have some kind of hormonal problem/disease (acromegaly), (Andre the Giant, Big Show) On steriods (lex Lugar, Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerro etc) or on drugs and alcohol. (eddie guerro and many others). The wrestlers not on steriods do not develop the bodies the fans want to see in their "champions". That is the underlying theme. These wrestlers in order to prosper have to look like Cartoon superheroes (John Cena). The ones that dont, dont last unless they just are truely gifted physically (undertaker, Kane, HHH)or are just great entertainers (HBK, Mysterio and others) and they are far and few between. Pro Wresdstling is just a glorified Carnival side show broadcast on TV filled with mostly freaks and dysfunctional people. Its a sad commentary on our society that it is #1 in ratings.
 
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