Sara Lee, a former champ of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), has passed away. She was thirty-one years old.
“It is with heavy hearts we wanted to share that our Sara Weston has gone to be with Jesus,” Lee’s mother, Terri Lee, announced her daughter’s passing in a Thursday, October 6, Facebook statement. “We are all in shock and arrangements are not complete. We ask that your family be allowed to mourn. All of us need prayers, especially Cory [Weston] and her children.”
After competing in powerlifting and track meets in high school, the native of Michigan decided to pursue a career as a wrestler. Lee even won WWE’s 2015 “Tough Enough” contest, where the wrestling organization launched an elimination-style program to help find new talent. After winning “Tough Enough,” Lee was awarded a one-year contract.
“WWE is saddened to learn of the passing of Sara Lee,” the athletic organization tweetedThursday. “As a former ‘Tough Enough’ winner, Lee served as an inspiration to many in the sports-entertainment world. WWE offers its heartfelt condolences to her family, friends and fans.”
Lee is survived by his husband Cory WestonShe was known professionally as Westin Blake, a wrestler. Although Weston, 35 has not yet spoken publicly about the loss of his wife but he has been open about their special relationship in the past.
“Happy Birthday to my better, more beautiful half, and love of my life 🎂,” he gushed via Instagram in June. “We can’t thank you enough for everything that you do for our family. It takes a special person (me included!) to handle these hooligans. 😉. Today, we celebrate an angel on Earth who has blessed me more than you will ever see. 😇❤️. I love you.”
While Lee’s cause of death has not been revealed, several of the couple’s former WWE costars have paid their respects.
“This is so heartbreaking — what a beautiful person we’ve lost — and leaving behind 3 small children and a husband who always expressed how madly in love he was with her,” Kayla Braxton tweetedAt the time, I shared a link to a GoFundMe page that a fellow wrestler had set up. Bull James. “I’m so so sorry. Just heartbreaking.”
James, 34, for his part, noted that they were “all shocked and saddened” to learn of Lee’s sudden death. He added: “RIP Sara, you were one of the good ones.”
Scroll below to read more stars’ tributes to the late wrestler:
