On August 24th, 2023, WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H revealed that WWE Hall of Famer Mike Rotunda had informed him that his son Windham Rotunda had passed away. Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp, at request from the family for further clarification, would later reveal that the cause of death was a heart attack brought on by a pre-existing heart condition exacerbated by a bout with COVID.
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…
— Triple H (@TripleH) August 24, 2023
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.
— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) August 25, 2023
Saddened and shocked, I would prefer to use this time to talk not only about what an enthralling storyteller and commanding screen presence Windham was while portraying the swampy cult leader Bray Wyatt on WWE television but also how much of an upstanding human being he was when I had the opportunity to meet him during a Wizard World fan experience for photo ops and autographs.
In late August 2014, Bray Wyatt was scheduled to appear at the convention for a day of fan interaction, including a panel Q&A. From what I remember, he was set to arrive early in the morning with photographs starting around 1 PM. That did not go as planned, as a brutal Chicago thunderstorm delayed his flight for a lengthy time. As time passed and the show floor closed around 6 PM, attendees were assured that Bray was still trying to board a plane. (I believe SummerSlam was also that weekend, so pushing the photographs and autographs further into the weekend was impossible.)
The fact that Bray refused to let down or give up on meeting his fans for this once-in-a-lifetime experience should already speak volumes. We waited, and eventually got word that he was on a plane and would arrive at the convention center around 9 PM. This brought up other questions, such as considering how exhausting of a day he was having, how friendly and interactive he would be around these fans. I certainly wouldn’t have begrudged him for not having the energy to converse too much, and others seemed to have felt the same way.
Those concerns evaporated instantly. Windham Rotunda/Bray Wyatt, wearing a Hawaiian shirt and out of character, couldn’t have been any nicer, especially considering the circumstances. He was kind and spoke with each individual for a few minutes, opting not to push the long line along as fast as he could (something other celebrities assuredly would have done.) He was in high spirits, having laughs, joking, and participating in a highly entertaining Q&A, embracing and appreciating every fan he interacted with that night.
As someone who regularly attends conventions and has met plenty of celebrities, it is one of the most gracious and kindest acts I have ever seen from a guest. He was determined to meet his fans and reciprocate that love many of us had given him on television and in live WWE crowds for emerging as a one-of-a-kind, unique talent, a larger-than-life wrestling character that we don’t often see much of nowadays.
Windham also found beauty in professional wrestling as an art form (one that is often unjustly frowned upon), elegantly putting the storytelling aspect into context here:
The wrestling world has lost one of its modern greats. While I normally don’t write such eulogies (the recent passing of Terry Funk is also heartbreaking but less personable to me), a part of me couldn’t resist sharing the compassion and kindness behind the character I experienced first hand. Windham Rotunda will be missed, and his loved ones will be in our thoughts.
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com
