John Cena has paid tribute to Bray Wyatt – real name Windham Rotunda – following his recent death aged 36.
Taking to social media site X, fellow WWE wrestler John, 46, recalled some special times they’d spent together which he’ll always remember.
‘Devastated by the news of the passing of Windham Rotunda,’ he began.
‘My heart goes out to the entire Rotunda family.
‘Windham brought the best out of me in so many ways. I’m forever grateful for the moments we shared.
‘A sad day for all those he reached around the world. RIP.’
The former world champion had not been seen on screen since February 2023 with reports he had been battling an unspecified illness with Dwayne Johnson also among those paying respect to the star.
WWE boss Triple H led tributes to Wyatt as he revealed the tragic news on Thursday and tweeted: ‘Just received a call from WWE Hall of Famer Mike Rotunda who informed us of the tragic news that our WWE family member for life Windham Rotunda – also known as Bray Wyatt – unexpectedly passed earlier today.
‘Our thoughts are with his family and we ask that everyone respect their privacy at this time.’
Hours after his death was announced, Wyatt’s cause of death was revealed to be a heart attack.
Wrestling reporter Sean Ross Sapp wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: ‘I was given permission to reveal that earlier this year Windham Rotunda (Bray Wyatt) got COVID that exacerbated a heart issues.
‘There was a lot of positive progress towards a return and his recovery.
‘Unfortunately today he suffered a heart attack and passed away.’
He added: ‘I encourage those reading to respect the family’s privacy if at all possible, but his loved ones wanted some details clarified.’
During his time with WWE, Wyatt was known for his creativity in the wrestling world as he constantly evolved to create intriguing and enigmatic characters. He was a third-generation pro wrestler, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather.
Wyatt truly made his name as the cult leader of the Wyatt Family alongside Erick Rowan and the late Luke Harper (Brodie Lee), facing the likes of John Cena, Kane and The Shield.
Wyatt had two daughters with his ex-wife Samantha, who he was married to from 2012 to 2017.
He became engaged to WWE announcer Jojo Offerman last year – they shared a daughter and a son.
For his last birthday, Offerman wrote on Instagram that Wyatt was her ‘best friend, soulmate, and partner for life’.
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