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SORTING THROUGH A TRUE TRAGEDY - THE PASSING OF WINDHAM 'BRAY WYATT' ROTUNDA

I wish I knew what to write, except to reiterate what everyone else is likely feeling - this has been an awful few days if you love professional wrestling and tonight feels like the worst of it.

I sit here at my laptop staring into space, watching emails fill my inbox and I don’t know what to say other than the announcement this evening that Windham Rotunda aka former WWE Champion Bray Wyatt has passed away at 36 is beyond tragic. 

No matter the reason, 36 is far too young for anyone to leave this Earth. 

Knowing that he’s passed at such a young age and leaving behind young children is just gutting to me.

I know everyone is seeking answers and solace, but as I write this, I don’t have anything to offer you.  Paul Levesque asked that everyone respect the family’s privacy, and that’s all one can do beyond wishing things had not occurred and assisting however we can in the days ahead with emotional and financial support.

We know Rotunda had been ill and that’s why he was out of the ring for such an extended period of time this year.  We had reported WWE was, rightfully, being extremely cautious about him returning out of concern for his health.  In speaking to some in the company this evening, they had a belief that there had been positives in the direction of him returning down the line but then today happened, blindsiding everyone I’ve spoken with.

I care more about offering solace to those I’ve heard from over the last few hours than I do about deciphering the answers of what has happened here, because the answers don’t bring Rotunda back to his family and honestly, that’s all that’s really important here - that someone’s son, someone’s father passed away far too young.  Answers can wait for another day, but it may be that we never learn them, and that’s OK, because what’s important right now is trying to support the man’s family and friends in their grief.

We all know how talented and creative Rotunda was.  We all watched him grow up, in a professional wrestling sense, from his time in FCW to NXT as Duke Rotundo gave way to Husky Harris and then the swamp-dwelling cult leader known as Bray Wyatt emerged upon our screens.  

From the leader of the Wyatt Family to the Fiend and back again, all iterations of his on-screen personality from the second the Wyatts were unleashed on NXT were memorable and unique, pushing boundaries of WWE storytelling.  Sometimes it was great, sometimes it was just weird, but it was always different, which made it all memorable.  

From Firefly Funhouse Matches that crossed time and space against John Cena, Swamp Fights with Braun Strowman and all sorts of horror jump scare elements blended into WWE’s programming - all these things set the Bray character apart from everyone who came before.

The White Rabbit storyline that trumpeted his return to WWE was groundbreaking as well, with WWE letting fans investigate via QRL codes that led to a new Wyatt, an Uncle Howdy, live action versions of the puppets we found in the aforementioned Funhouse and more.  The surrealist nature of the Wyatt character kept fans wondering what would happen next, until real life took a turn and Rotunda needed to go home to convalese.

It’s been a long time, thankfully, that professional wrestling has lost someone so esteemed this young, so I suspect there is an entire generation of fans hurting right now seeing someone they enjoyed and cared about lost at just 36.  I feel and know your pain, having lived through it myself as I saw others pass away in the 1990s - and I am sorry for you and we mourn with you.

However, the true tragedy here is that Rotunda’s family, especially his children, have lost the most important person in their world.  I wish we had something we could say to make it better and to bring them peace, but unfortunately, that’s not a power any of us get to possess.  

There will be a time to celebrate the career of Windham Rotunda and the character of Bray Wyatt, but today, I just wish to express my condolences to everyone who knew and loved him in any way, shape or form.  

I am so sorry that this sad day has occurred.  I wish I had something more profound to offer, but instead, I'm going to just go and say a prayer for the Rotunda family and I invite you all to join me, in whatever way you wish.

WWE will donate the proceeds from the sales of Bray Wyatt merchandise on their website.  Listings for the merchandise now notes: "In the wake of Bray Wyatt’s death, WWE will donate all net proceeds to support JoJo Offerman and his children."  You can order the merchandise from WWEShop.com at this link.

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