May 3, 1999 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Death of Rick Rude, WWF Backlash review, more

The death of Rick Rude on 4/20 becomes the latest addition to a strange and macabre body count that is very close to becoming synonymous with the pro wrestling industry.

Rude passed away that evening of a heart attack after being rushed to the North Fulton Medical Center near his home in Alpharetta, GA, an Atlanta suburb, at the age of 40. Rude, who was working with WCW as an announcer for the Backstage Blast PPV airings of Nitro on DirecTV once per month after being removed from his role as childhood friend Curt Hennig’s on-camera manager, had been training for an in-ring comeback after his career presumably had ended after suffering a broken back in a May 1, 1994 match against Sting at the Fukuoka Dome.

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