Bray Wyatt’s death raises questions about mental health in WWE

Former WWE Champion Bray Wyatt, whose real name was Windham Rotunda, has sadly passed away at 36 years of age due to a heart attack. The former Champion was also said to be struggling with mental health issues, sparking a call for awareness among wrestlers about the toll that the industry takes on mental well-being.

Triple H, WWE Chief Content Officer, shared the news of Wyatt’s passing via a tweet. The announcement revealed that Mike Rotunda, a WWE Hall of Famer, had informed them about the unexpected and tragic death of Windham Rotunda.

Known affectionately as Bray Wyatt, he held a significant place within the WWE franchise.

Despite grappling with undisclosed health problems that kept him away from the ring and television for a while, his passing, described by his family as sudden and unforeseen, has left a void.

Rotunda, a third-generation wrestler from a lineage including Mike Rotunda and Blackjack Mulligan, rose to fame as the head of the Wyatt Family and the mastermind behind The Firefly Funhouse, incorporating the alter-ego Fiend persona.

Following a surprising release in July 2021, Wyatt made an unexpected comeback to the promotion in October 2022.

However, his return was brief, featuring only a single match against LA Knight before disappearing from the screen. Known for his innovative promos, unique storylines, and infusion of horror elements into his persona, Wyatt was a distinctive presence. In his personal life, he was a father to four children and engaged to Joseann “JoJo” Offerman, a former WWE ring announcer.

Bray Wyatt, often reserved in public, occasionally offered glimpses into his inner struggles. Through various posts on his official Instagram account, he candidly shared the psychological challenges he faced.

In one post, he shared several images alongside a heartfelt caption. Within the caption, he expressed, “I lost myself a couple years ago, I never wanted to hurt but I quit on myself. I felt like I wanted to cease completely.”

The Instagram post emerged during his recovery, where he conveyed that his mental condition was actually a source of strength rather than an ailment.

Bray Wyatt’s wrestling journey has been captivating, to say the least. Starting in FCW in 2009 and progressing through NXT as Husky Harris, he underwent notable character shifts and narrative arcs. His 2019 comeback introduced a multi-personality persona. Despite fan support, he faced setbacks and was released in 2021. He surprisingly resurfaced at 2022’s Extreme Rules, blending his diverse identities into a new character.

During an episode of the Keepin’ It 100 podcast, admiration for Wyatt was evident, yet the suggestion arose that WWE should separate from him. The statement from host Konnan during the podcast went,

The true cause and nature of Bray Wyatt’s mental struggles remain undisclosed. However, the consistent neglect of mental health problems within the WWE realm has been notably surprising. This has prompted numerous wrestlers to voice their concerns over the years, but the franchise has seldom allowed those concerns to surface publicly.

Several celebrities poured there condolences on the former  WWE Champion’s death