WWE icon Bray Wyatt's untimely death shakes wrestling community

WWE luminary Bray Wyatt, celebrated for his groundbreaking creativity within the realm of professional wrestling, has passed away at the age of 36, as disclosed by WWE chief content officer Paul "Triple H" Levesque via social media.

Bray Wyatt, whose birth name was Windham Rotunda, had been absent from WWE activities for several months due to undisclosed health concerns. A part of the WWE roster since 2009, except for a span in 2021 and 2022 when he was surprisingly released, Rotunda re-entered WWE last September with great fanfare. His enigmatic narrative, complemented by cryptic vignettes, played a pivotal role in elevating television ratings.

Levesque conveyed on X, formerly known as Twitter, "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 privacy at this time."

Coming from a lineage entrenched in wrestling, Rotunda's father, Mike, found fame in WWE as Irwin R. Schyster, whilst his uncle Barry Windham was a celebrated figure of the 1980s wrestling scene. 

Bray Wyatt's wrestling roots were further embodied by his brother Taylor, who wrestles under the name Bo Dallas. 

Rotunda was married to former WWE ring announcer JoJo Offerman and was a father of four.

His tenure with WWE commenced under the persona Husky Harris before evolving into Bray Wyatt, an eerie, enigmatic leader of a swamp-inspired cult. 

Wyatt's mic skills and storytelling prowess marked him as a standout performer. His subsequent incarnation as The Fiend, characterised by a harrowing clown-like mask, garnered attention for its inventiveness, despite generating mixed reactions.