Vader Passes Away

Legendary wrestler Vader (Leon White) has passed away at the age of 63. Vader’s son announced on Twitter that his father passed away on Monday, June 18 after battling a severe form of pneumonia for the past month.

It is with a heavy heart to inform everyone that my father, Leon White, passed away on Monday night (6/18/18) at approximately 7:25pm. pic.twitter.com/dP4CNaMuXa

— Big Van Vader (@itsvadertime) June 20, 2018

Around a month ago my father was diagnosed with a severe case of Pneumonia. He fought extremely hard and clinically was making progress. Unfortunately, on Monday night his heart had enough and it was his time. pic.twitter.com/hJYjumvxjH

— Big Van Vader (@itsvadertime) June 20, 2018

Vader underwent open heart surgery in March and had another heart surgery in May. Despite the surgeries and health problems, he had vowed to still return to the ring.

Following a brief career in professional football, Vader made his professional wrestling debut in 1985 for American Wrestling Association. After a stint with AWA, Vader worked for NJPW achieving great career success in the process, including three IWGP Heavyweight Championship reigns and the origin of his famous Big Van Vader ring name. Vader’s success continued following his departure from NJPW to WCW in 1992. During his time in WCW, Vader became the World Heavyweight champion on three occasions with his first reign being notable for ending at the hands of Ron Simmons, who became the first ever African-American to hold a major wrestling championship. While Vader’s WWF run from 1996-1998 is usually considered a low point of his legendary career, Vader continued wrestling until 2017.