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Wrestling Stars & Legends React To Vader’s Death

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Vader It's Vader Time

As we noted before, former WCW World Heavyweight Champion Big Van Vader passed away at the age of 63.

Vader’s son confirmed the news on Twitter with the following tweets:

For those who don’t know, Vader explained his situation in an interview with Hannibal TV back in 2016 and said the following:

“I was in the medical center and I was seeing my doctor, who is actually an MD, and heart specialists came into my room. They said ‘We’ve been looking at your heart’ and I said ‘Who are you?’ I didn’t recognize the guy. He said ‘You have two years to live. We’ve been looking at your heart, and that’s the deal.’

It wasn’t much longer than that when he came back in the room — cause he left and obviously I had a bunch of questions and I’m in the process of answering those questions at this point. So for me to start talking would probably be premature at this point.

I’ve been in the gym, I feel okay, I’ve been feeling pretty good actually. I don’t know exactly what he’s talking about or if something will show itself up in weeks to come, but right now I’m still trying to figure out exactly what’s going on.”

Vader explained his situation once again last March during an appearance on Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling podcast and noted that he regrets announcing on Twitter that he has 2 more years to live:

“I really kind of regret tweeting it out. In other words when I got diagnosed and was told, “Leon, you have a bad heart and you have congestive heart failure and we feel your time is limited and you have maybe a couple of years left… two years or less to live.

I remember getting very angry and said this has gotta be bulls–t because I don’t feel bad and I remember getting extremely angry. Since that time and when I got the news I left the hospital and went right to the gym and rode the bike for a half hour. Hard.

As hard as I could and when I got off the bike and got on the treadmill and walked for another 15 minutes pretty hard and I was exhausted but my heart felt fine so how can I do that if my heart is going to give out?

The doctor in some of the ongoing appointments that I had with him explained to me that when you are tipping the scales at 400 and 420-25 pounds that a man that size and that heavy isn’t supposed to be able to push himself in a cardiovascular endeavor no matter what it is much past 2 or 3 minutes.”

WWE issued the following statement regarding Vader’s passing:

Vader passes away

“WWE is saddened to learn that Leon White, better known to WWE audiences as Vader, passed away Monday night at the age of 63.

White began his sports-entertainment career in the mid-1980s after retiring from the NFL due to injury. He rose to national prominence in Verne Gagne’s American Wrestling Association before joining New Japan Pro Wrestling as the masked Big Van Vader. He went on to become one of the promotion’s biggest stars and most feared competitors.

Vader then transitioned to World Championship Wrestling, where he would make the biggest mark of his career. He engaged in memorable rivalries with the likes of Sting and Ron Simmons, becoming a dominant, three-time WCW World Champion in the process.

In 1996, Vader joined the WWE roster, where he squared off against Superstars such as Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker. He also found success on the small screen with a recurring guest role on the popular 1990s television program, “Boy Meets World.”

WWE extends its condolences to White’s family, friends and fans.”

Below are Vader’s major accomplishments in Pro-Wrestling:

– 3x WCW World Heavyweight Champion

– 1x WCW United States Champion

– 3x IWGP Heavyweight Champion

– 1x IWGP Tag Team Champion

Below are tweets from wrestling stars and legends remembering Big Van Vader:


        
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