WWE News: Wrestling Legend Reveals He Has Less Than Two Years To Live — Mick Foley Wants Him In WWE Hall Of Fame
The wrestling world, performers and fans alike, never really knows how to handle the loss of a legend or truly great person. Usually, there is no real early warning as to when an icon from the sport is going to pass, but on Tuesday, everyone learned of the demise of a former champion. Former WCW World Heavyweight Champion and WWE legend Big Van Vader let everyone know that his doctor has given him less than two years to live.
As reported by ET Online, very early on Tuesday morning, Big Van Vader (Leon Allen White) revealed the news his doctor had given him. Due to congestive heart failure, his life was set to continue no longer than two years from now.
When Vader tweeted out the news on his Twitter account, it was sent out to around 32,000 followers. Less than 24 hours later, Vader’s account had gained another 1,400 followers who were just wishing the best for him.
The announcement could not have been easy for him to make, but he did say that he was coming to terms with the diagnosis.
Told by 2.heart Drs at this time that my heart is wore out from footbal&wrestling I have 2 yrs to live, conjestive hesrt failure reality
— Big Van Vader (@itsvadertime) November 15, 2016
Told by 2 heart Drs that my heart is wore out Ihave been given less than two yrs to live Iam only now allowing this as part of my reality
— Big Van Vader (@itsvadertime) November 15, 2016
As you can see, Vader said that his many years of football and wrestling contributed to his congestive heart failure and early death. Many wrestling fans may not even know that he played on the offensive line for the University of Colorado and was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the third round of the 1978 NFL Draft and even played in Super Bowl XIV against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
He just turned 61 back in May of this year, but he has had a long career in the world of sports with most of it coming from wrestling. After just two seasons in the NFL, Vader/White was forced to retire from football due to a ruptured patella and ended up in professional wrestling about five years later.
Big Van Vader started his wrestling career in American Pro Wrestling and then moved on to New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) before truly becoming known in WCW. In 1996, he made his WWE (then WWF) debut and stayed there for just a few years before heading back to Japan.
For the next two decades, Vader wrestled on the independent circuit, in AJPW, and in TNA Impact Wrestling, and even made random return appearances to WWE. With a career that has spanned three full decades, some feel he should receive the true recognition he deserves before he passes away.
Current Monday Night Raw General Manager Mick Foley has had some vicious and violent battles during their long career. When the news of Big Van Vader’s remaining time left in life hit, Foley took to his Facebook page and decided to start petitioning for the wrestling legend’s induction into the WWE Hall of Fame.
“IT’S TIME…TO PUT VADER IN THE HALL OF FAME
“I have been talking with Leon White the past few weeks, so I knew the news might be coming. But seeing it in print this morning was a shock nonetheless. Leon is dying. He has been told by doctors that he may have less than two years left to live. His legacy is so important to him, and he has told me that being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame would mean so much on both a personal and professional level. On a global level, Vader was one of the greatest attractions the pro wrestling business has ever seen. I have talked with people at the highest levels at WWE, and hope and pray that Leon’s name will be included in the class of 2017 Hall of Fame inductees.”
Mick Foley has a point and it’s not as if Big Van Vader doesn’t deserve to be inducted into the Hall of Fame for all he’s done for WWE and for wrestling as a whole.
It’s really hard to know how much time you have left in life, and for Big Van Vader, that’s exactly the position he is currently in. The WWE and all-around wrestling legend has two years to live, but one never knows if his time could come before that. Depending on how long his heart holds out, he may make it to two Hall of Fame ceremonies, and that is why Mick Foley thinks it is time to induct him into it now.
[Featured Image by WWE]
