Rowdy Roddy Piper Dead At 61 From Blood Clot & Heart Attack: WWE Hall Of Famer Wrestled For 45 Years [Video]

Rowdy Roddy Piper was known first as a wrestling legend and then as an actor. Rowdy died last month, and it has now been revealed that Roddy’s cause of death was a pulmonary embolism, reported MSN.

Piper, 61, had struggled with hypertension. Rowdy (whose official name was Roderick George Toombs) had a heart attack that resulted from a blood clot.

Roddy’s career covered more than four decades as a pro wrestler, rising to become one of the most popular World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) organization stars.

And no one, especially his wife Kitty and four children, anticipated that Piper would suddenly die in his sleep at home in Hollywood, reported the Daily Mail.

A member of the family described their heartbreak at losing Roddy.

“Our family is saddened by the sudden passing of our father and beloved husband, Roderick Toombs aka Rowdy Roddy Piper,” said the insider.

One of Rowdy’s representatives described his client as a good friend, as well as sincere and generous, terming it a true loss. But for those who remember Roddy at the height of his career, Piper will be viewed as a trail-blazer in the WWE world, one of the organization’s top villains.

Inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame 10 years ago, Rowdy appeared in Wrestlemania with Hulk Hogan and Mr. T, as well as appearing on a variety of shows. Roddy last wrestled on a regular basis in 2008.

Piper’s death certificate revealed the official cause of death while also paying tribute to Rowdy’s wrestling legacy, reported TMZ.

Roddy had a pulmonary embolism that resulted in the sudden heart attack. The blood clot is linked to Piper’s high blood pressure, which can result in clotting.

And on that certificate, Rowdy’s occupation specifies that he was a professional wrestler for 45 years.

For those shocked by the seemingly healthy Roddy’s sudden death, hypertension can increase the risk for a variety of life-threatening conditions, as the Inquisitr reported.

Windell D. Middlebrooks, who became famous as the “Miller High Life” guy on beer commercials, died suddenly at 36 despite being in seemingly good health. But Windell’s autopsy revealed that his death also was due to a blood clot.

However, although the official cause of death was a pulmonary embolism (a blood clot that traveled to his lungs), Middlebrooks’ apparent good health was deceptive. At 400 pounds, his obesity made him a potential patient for problems ranging from hypertension to a heart attack, said sources.

[Photo by Bill Olive/Getty Images]