Windham Rotunda, known as “Bray Wyatt” in the WWE, has died, according to WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque, who announced the news Thursday on Twitter.
Wyatt was 36. A former world champion, he had reportedly been dealing with an unspecified illness and hadn’t been seen on television since February.
“Just received a call from WWE Hall of Famer Mike Rotunda who informed us of the tragic news that our WWE family member for life Windham Rotunda – also known as Bray Wyatt – unexpectedly passed earlier today,” Levesque tweeted Thursday evening. “Our thoughts are with his family and we ask that everyone respect their privacy at this time.”
Just received a call from WWE Hall of Famer Mike Rotunda who informed us of the tragic news that our WWE family member for life Windham Rotunda – also known as Bray Wyatt – unexpectedly passed earlier today. Our thoughts are with his family and we ask that everyone respect their…
— Triple H (@TripleH) August 24, 2023
Wyatt’s latest run started back in October, when he returned to the WWE in one of the most mysterious build-ups in company history, featuring a white rabbit, QR codes and other hidden Easter eggs. He eventually made his comeback at WWE’s Extreme Rules Premium Live Event in Philadelphia.
Nearly 15 months earlier in July 2021, he was shockingly released by the WWE as “The Fiend” character, which was undergoing a lot of success at the time. (RELATED: Bury Football Club Star Emily Wilcock Dies Suddenly At 27)
Wyatt’s other gimmick as a cult leader was also popular with fans, beginning in 2013.