Former WWE champion Joanie Laurer, better known by her ring name Chyna, died of an accidental overdose, according to her her manager.
Anthony Anzaldo claims that Chyna was improperly taking legally prescribed Valium and Ambien in the weeks before her body was found in her Redondo Beach home last Thursday.
“She accidentally and unintentionally misused her legally prescribed medication over the course of 2-3 weeks,”Anzaldo told NBC News.
A message on Chyna’s official Facebook page confirmed the wrestler’s death last Thursday.
“It is with deep sadness to inform you today that we lost a true icon, a real life superhero,” the message read. “Joanie Laurer aka Chyna, the 9th wonder of the world has passed away. She will live forever in the memories of her millions of fans and all of us that loved her.”
Despite Vince McMahon‘s initial doubt about the believability of a woman beating up a man in the ring, Chyna went on to become one of the most powerful forces in professional wrestling.
She was a one-time WWF Women’s Champion and also a two-time WWF Intercontinental Champion (the only female performer to do so) and was the first woman to compete in the Royal Rumble and King of the Ring events, along with becoming a No. 1 contender for the WWF Championship.
She had also openly struggled with addiction in the past, and appeared on the reality series “Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew” in 2008.