WWE superstar Billy Graham dies at age 79 after being taken off life support

WWE legend Billy Graham has died aged 79 after struggling with “a host of health issues” while on a ventilator.

Graham had been hospitalized for several months with “a host of very serious health problems” and, he said, had been in ICU for many weeks. a GoFundMe page set up to help him and his family.

Graham died Wednesday after being taken from life with his wife and daughter by his side, his family said TMZ.

16-time world champion Ric Flair first announced the news on Twitter on Wednesday night, when he posted: “Superstar Billy Graham has just left us. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR INFLUENCE ON MY CAREER!’

Graham’s wife, Valerie, had previously shared an update on her husband’s health on his official Facebook page on May 15, revealing that she had initially refused to take him off a ventilator.

The WWE Hall-of-Famer had been in the ICU battling his health issues on life support

In an update, Valerie said, “Urgent prayers are needed for my husband. The doctors wanted to take him off the ventilator tonight. I refused.

“He is a fighter and his will is strong, even if his body is not. God is our hope.’

Prior to his legendary wrestling career, Graham – born Eldridge Wayne Coleman – tried out for the Canadian Football League, but rose to fame for an impressive bodybuilding career.

Graham began his wrestling career in 1969 and signed with several promotions before making his debut with the WWE – then known as the World Wide Wrestling Federation – in 1975.

By then, his in-arena look became influential for many of the most popular wrestlers of the era, including Austin Idol, Jesse Ventura, Hulk Hogan, and Ric Flair.

As wrestling became extremely popular in the 1980s and 1990s, wrestlers such as Steve Austin and Triple H began to adopt his looks and mannerisms.

In the course of his WWE career, he won the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship once in 1977.

Graham, along with Ventura and Sgt. Slaughter in the 2004 WWE Hall of Fame class.

Graham (right) once won the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship in 1977

Graham’s muscular appearance inspired Jesse Ventura, Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair in the 1980s

But Graham was not without his controversies. He was an anabolic steroid user and once claimed to be “an innovator of steroid use” in the WWE. Graham then ran an awareness campaign about the dangers of the drug.

Graham has been battling serious health issues for two decades.

He had multiple problems with his liver — requiring transplants — and was eventually diagnosed in 2012 with stage three liver disease and cirrhosis.

He has since been hospitalized for pneumonia, possible heart failure, liver complications and internal bleeding.

In 2022 he had his toes amputated. In January of this year, he was hospitalized after being diagnosed with an ear and skull infection – which he is currently battling.

According to that GoFundMe page, Graham had been away from home for four months — either in rehab or in a hospital.

In January, he was hospitalized after an ear and skull infection

As of April 26, Page said he had lost 80 pounds and had “extreme weakness,” taking strong intravenous antibiotics three times a day. Doctors said he “would have to take them for at least another three months.”

The page also said the infection in his ears, skull and sinuses had left him “completely deaf.”

Graham also “had occasional kidney problems and was on dialysis” in addition to “heart and lung problems, ulcers from being in bed for four months and depression.”

While all this was going on Valerie got COVID two months ago and continued to struggle with Lung COVID. That’s why she couldn’t see him.