Road Warrior Animal, a beloved WWE superstar and Hall of Fame inductee, passed away this morning.
Police determined that Joseph Michael Laurinaitis, A.K.A Animal, was unresponsive after they answered a call placed by his wife late last night. He was 60 years old.
The news was met with an outpouring of grief from wrestling fans and legends who had spent time in the ring with him. Animal touched the lives of many and was considered by some to be the greatest American wrestler to watch.
RIP Animal,love you my brother, I know you and Hawk have a lot of unfinished business to take care of! God speed and blessings to your beautiful family,one love4Life. HH
— Hulk Hogan (@HulkHogan) September 23, 2020
MY ROAD WARRIOR ANIMAL BROTHER. YOU WERE MOST OVER TAG TEAM EVER. WE HAVE THE BEST TIME IN THE MINNESOTA FOREVER I LOVE YOU. RIP BUBBA pic.twitter.com/dLzAy2uRaa
— The Iron Sheik (@the_ironsheik) September 23, 2020
Animal is probably best known for being one half of the most popular tag teams in modern WWE history. His style and technique, combined with his flamboyance, defined the sport and drew fans to the ring in massive numbers the reinvigorated the brand. For many fans of the sport, Animal was the first major wrestling star they ever saw.
Animal joined up with tag team partner Michael Hegstrand, better known as Hawk, to form Road Warriors in 1983. They are considered by some to be the most popular wrestling tag team of all time. Hawk had passed away of a sudden heart attack back in 2003.
Animal was a true entertainer and brought a vigor and passion to his performances. His legacy to wrestling will not be soon forgotten.
His management announced a statement about the circumstances leading up to his death would be made available later today and this post will be updated when that happens.
*All images and media courtesy of Twitter.
