Paul Orndorff Dead at 71: Tragic Cause of Death, Last Days of WWE Wrestler Revealed

Paul Orndorff

Paul "Mr. Wonderful" Orndorff has died. He was 71.

The World Wrestling Federation delivered one of the saddest news this year as the 1980s wrestler suddenly passed away. Orndorff's son, Travis, first announced the tragic death on his Instagram page.

"It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of my father, Paul Parlette Orndorff Jr," Travis said. "He is better known as "Mr. #1derful" Paul Orndorff."

He also noted that people easily recognized him in the ring due to his buffed build and blond hair. Still, the son and his survivors remembered him differently.

Per Travis, those who understood and saw his father's heart would realize that there was something more amazing about him. He then paid tribute to the greatest father, who gave him more than what he deserved.

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The same post informed his followers that the family created a donation page which will help them for funeral expense. He invited people who would like to speak during the funeral, hinting that a public event will be available for his fans before reaching his final resting place.

Paul Orndorff's Health

Although Travis did not mention Paul Orndorff's cause of death, he actually documented his father's recent health struggles on his social media page. This ignited theories about the possible disease that slowly claimed Orndorff's life.

In the past months, Travis noted that he was suffering from dementia. According to the Alzheimer's Association, the disease is an overall term that refers to abnormal brain changes. It results in a decline in a person's thinking skills and cognitive function.

The disease is reportedly caused by the brain disease, chronic traumatic encephalopathy. CTE is most common to people who are involved with contact sports as it is caused by repeated blows to the head.

As someone who began a wrestling career in 1984, Orndorff surely faced countless trauma in the past decades.

Mr. Wonderful conquered the stage for the first time when he went up against Salvatore Bellomo. He also fought Hulk Hogan and Intercontinental Champ Tito Satana.

He left the WWF in 1988 and continued his career at the CWC.

Apart from dementia, Orndorff suffered from multiple injuries. His neck injury caused arm atrophy which led him to retire in 2000. The athlete also fought and beat cancer in 2011.

Before his death, Travis posted a message warning all the athletes who chose to have that kind of lifestyle. He noted that the brain damage and consequences of wrestling always result in someone's death.