Darren Drozdov, a former WWE star who suffered a tragic injury in 1999 which left him paralyzed, died Friday at the age of 54, according to the wrestling organization.
Drozdov’s family shared that he passed away from natural causes, reports TMZ.
“There are no words to convey the deep sense of loss and sadness we are feeling right now,” the family said in a statement. “We would like to extend our deepest appreciation to everyone. All of his fans, teammates, colleagues, and friends for all the love and support he received over the years.”
The WWE tweeted out their condolences, along with an old photo of Drozdov in the ring during his wrestling career.
Before joining the WWE, Drozdov played three seasons in the NFL as a nose guard for the New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos. But he would later find more success in wrestling, first joining the ECW, and then later the WWE in 1998.
He initially competed under the nickname “Puke,” given to him for his consistent vomiting prior to playing in NFL games, but would later change it to “Droz.”
In 1999, he suffered an injury during a match with wrestler D’Lo Brown which would ultimately end his career. He became paralyzed from the neck down and eventually regained movement in his arms and upper body, but remained wheelchair-bound for the rest of his life.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson also paid tribute on Friday, tweeting out his fond memories of Drozdov.
“I’m so sorry to hear one of our ring brothers has passed away,” Johnson wrote. “Such an awesome dude. Great personality and great wrestling talent. … Sending love, strength, mana and light to his family. RIP brother.”