On Thursday evening, the entertainment world learned of the tragic passing of former WWE superstar Ashley Massaro at the young age of 39. As reported by The Inquisitr , her cause of death was not known and it is still being listed as “non-criminal” by those close to the situation. As news of her death spread, the tributes and memorials started flooding social media from different wrestling personalities, friends, and family.
Massaro was well-known around the world and loved by so many people. Just a few days prior to her passing, she had even tweeted out a picture saying she had spent hours responding to a pile of fan mail and that she loved reading all of them.
Not much is known about Massaro’s death other than she was rushed to a hospital from her home in New York very early on Thursday morning. She died shortly after arriving and there will still be testing done to determine exactly what caused her death.
She spent a lot of her adult life in the spotlight as the winner of the 2005 WWE Diva Search contest, a member of the WWE roster, and appearing on different television shows. Ashley Massaro had a lot of fans and also a lot of friends who loved her dearly, which makes the tributes even harder to take.
Sad day This post is horrible @ashleymassaro11 I pray for strength for your family pic.twitter.com/iDHl52G9fK
— Tommy Dreamer (@THETOMMYDREAMER) May 17, 2019
The wrestling world is much bigger than just WWE, even though that is really the promotion she spent the majority of her time in. Fans also have to remember that Massaro only really wrestled for a short period of time, as she was with the company for just around three years.
Still, that was a different time and a different era of professional wrestling, where the rosters had a lot of big names. Seeing tributes on social media from stars of the past and the stars of today goes to show everyone that Massaro touched the lives of many people.
I can’t even begin to explain how devastated I am to hear about @ashleymassaro11 – legit one of the sweetest people I’ve ever known. When we fall into a dark place it can seem like it will never change but if you are there PLEASE keep hope & reach out for help.
— Torrie Wilson (@Torrie11) May 17, 2019
This is just awful news – Ashley Massaro is gone. She was only 39. She lived in the same town as me…I loved seeing her around. She was always so nice…and now she’s gone. #RIPAshleyMassaro pic.twitter.com/wOUY4gsTQo
— Mick Foley (@foleyispod) May 17, 2019
Ashley Massaro ?? Thank you for the memories.
— Bayley (@itsBayleyWWE) May 17, 2019
My heart is saddened to hear about the passing of @ashleymassaro11 ! So strong but yet so young ? Heaven received an Angel – prayers to Ash’s family – RIP
— Dana Brooke WWE (@DanaBrookeWWE) May 17, 2019
I have no words. Ashley was my tag partner at Wrestlemania. My sometimes road wife. We did countless photo shoots and press days together. It seems like yesterday Ashley was a major part of my life and then our worlds changed and now she is gone. Im heartbroken for her family. https://t.co/QTcNxN3P0K pic.twitter.com/olaTWKD9JS
— MariaKanellisBennett (@MariaLKanellis) May 17, 2019
RIP Ashley Massaro
— Matt Cardona (@TheMattCardona) May 17, 2019
My thoughts and prayers go out to Ashley Massaro and her family. https://t.co/VybB7WTceO
— Nattie (@NatbyNature) May 17, 2019
Upon the announcement of her death, WWE did post their condolences on social media, but the company didn’t stop there. The official Twitter account of WWE also posted a video showcasing the career highlights of Ashley Massaro.
WWE remembers the career of the late Ashley Massaro. https://t.co/9JaELiopzV
— WWE (@WWE) May 17, 2019
Even though the world of professional wrestling is all about competition, it is even more about respect. All Elite Wrestling is just a start-up promotion that began in January of this year, but some of those on the roster knew Massaro, and they paid respect to her as well.
We are saddened to learn Ashley Massaro has passed away at the age of 39. Our thoughts are with her family & friends. pic.twitter.com/Q0JtH8w1Yy
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 17, 2019