Rowdy Roddy Piper died from a heart attack at 61. Although Piper passed away in his sleep in July, the cause of his death was only recently revealed on a website posting Roddy’s death certificate. The document revealed that iconic wrestling star had a blood clot in a lung, reported the Washington Post .
With career highlights including becoming a WWE Hall of Famer, Rowdy had hypertension. It was that condition linked to his death, which occurred July 31 at his house in Hollywood, California.
In addition to high blood pressure, Roddy had fought Hodgkin’s lymphoma starting in 2006. However, he was given a diagnosis that he was cancer-free in autumn, revealed his family.
For those who knew Piper, he was both controversial and entertaining, said WWE CEO Vince McMahon.
“Roddy Piper was one of the most entertaining, controversial and bombastic performers ever in WWE, beloved by millions of fans around the world,” praised McMahon. “I extend my deepest condolences to his family.”
The WWE honored Roddy Piper on Twitter with a tribute.
We pay tribute to @WWE Hall of Famer “Rowdy” Roddy Piper. #ThankYouRoddy #RAW #HotRod http://t.co/71fQ3Lowah
— WWE (@WWE) August 4, 2015
The death certificate also included mention of Piper’s legacy in the wrestling world, reported TMZ .
On it, Roddy’s occupation stated simply that he had been a professional wrestler for 45 years. But Piper also had wrestled with hypertension, and the pulmonary embolism that resulted in a heart attack could be linked to his high blood pressure.
Talking with HBO’s Real Sports more than a decade before he died, Roddy predicted that he would die before he turned 65, reported the New York Daily News .
“Wrestling has… no exit plan,” said Roddy. “What would you have me do at 49 when my pension plan, I can’t take out until I’m 65. I’m not gonna make 65 — let’s face facts, guys.”
Piper admitted that he abused steroids, cocaine, alcohol, and painkillers for two decades.
“Deadly combination,” summed up Roddy.
Roddy described taking cocaine, drinking alcohol, and then consuming painkillers. And Piper said that was his lifestyle for 20 years.
As the Inquisitr reported, sources revealed that Bobbi Kristina Brown had been taking drugs on the morning that she was found unconscious. She reportedly was abusing both cocaine and heroin, as well as alcohol, frequently acting as if she was high on substances.
Bobbi Kristina’s boyfriend, Nick Gordon, also allegedly abused alcohol and drugs. During a TV intervention conducted by Dr. Phil, Nick’s birth mother said that her son was abusing Xanax and alcohol.
[Photo by Bill Olive / Getty Images]
