5 Pro Wrestlers Who Beat Cancer
Roman Reigns' shocking medical diagnosis of leukemia, revealed October 22nd on a Monday Night RAW from Rhode Island, has been a sobering reminder of how precious and fragile life truly is. Although Reigns' horrible revelation is by far the highest profile cancer diagnosis in pro-wrestling history, coming at the relatively youthful age of 33 while still in his career prime as WWE's top champion and current star, it is unfortunately by no means the only time a professional wrestler or sports entertainer has been struck by some variation of the disease.
Just weeks ago, the world of women's indie wrestling heard the news of Joshi and SHIMMER wrestler Ray Lin, a masked Hong Kong native who once faced Ember Moon and Mia Yim, succumbing to late-stage brain cancer, something not unheard of in her JWP home promotion, which also dealt with the loss of wrestler Jackie Sato to stomach cancer back in 1999. Hector Garza, the lucha libre star who won a 20-man gauntlet at the beginning of TNA's first pay-per-view in 2004, passed away from lung cancer in 2013, and former WWF valet Marianna, a minor figure in the late 90s Attitude Era, died from breast cancer in 2004, just five years after her last appearance for the company.
Though these heart-wrenching tragedies are bad for business, fan morale and most importantly, the victims of these terrible illnesses themselves and their loved ones, there is a silver lining at the edge of the blackest cloud and light at the end of the darkest tunnel. The legacies of these brilliant athletes lives on forever and additionally, there are wrestlers who have survived the horrors of a "C-word" diagnosis...before, during and after their in-ring careers.
In tribute to Joseph "Roman Reigns" Anoa'i, these are 5 professional wrestlers who survived cancer.
#5) Zach Gowen
The one-legged handicap wrestler, who made a name for himself in the early days of TNA before a brief stint in Ruthless Aggression Era WWE the youthful age of 19, was a childhood cancer patient who lost his leg from amputation after being diagnosed at age eight.
Although seemingly impossible, Gowen not only succeeding in wrestling despite his debilitating handicap but arguably benefited from it as his peak success in wrestling, a Smackdown storyline involving Stephanie and Vince McMahon, directly played on his physical shortcomings.
Gowen's ability to walk without crutches, nail moonsaults and put on overall entertaining matches despite having one leg was truly an impressive and praise-worthy inspiration and If not for his star struck immature attitude leading to his WWE release, it's quite possible he could have become a legend in wrestling by now.