WWE Hall of Famer Afa Anoa’i, a famous part of the legendary Wild Samoans tag team duo, died at the age of 81 after suffering a series of medical setbacks.
His daughter Vale Anoa’i confirmed the wrestling star’s death in a post shared to social media. “Today, all of our lives are irreparably changed. I love you so much, Dad. More than any words could ever express,” she wrote on Twitter. His daughter went on to explain that the famous wrestler battled through two heart attacks in January and fell and broke his back in two places in March, requiring major surgery.
He also had heart valve replacement surgery before undergoing his second back surgery. His health declined in the last month of his life and he was put on hospice care.
Today, all of our lives are irreparably changed. I love you so much, Dad. More than any words could ever express. Your strength was absolutely superhuman. You fought all the way to the end, and the end was peaceful. That's all I could have hoped for. I love you so very much. pic.twitter.com/0mt5blynH3
— Vale Anoa'i (@ValeAnoai) August 16, 2024
According to TMZ, Anoa’i began his wrestling career shortly after leaving the Marines and won his first-ever match in 1971. It was then that he began to train with his brother Sika and the legendary Wild Samoans tag team was formed.
According to Wresting Inc. the duo defeated Ivan Putski and Tito Santana to capture their first WWF Tag Team Championship in 1980.
The tag team duo won the WWF Tag Team Championship three times. Anoa’i was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2007 – along with his brother. They were inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall Of Fame in 2012.
Anoa’i is survived by his wife Lynn and seven children.
Check out some of the legendary matches from Anoa’i: