WWE superstar Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka has been diagnosed with stomach cancer.
The 72-year-old Hall of Famer’s health battle was revealed when his wife read out a statement on 1Wrestling.com about the recent death of Jimmy’s longtime wrestling rival and friend, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper.
Carole Snuka then went on to explain why Superfly hadn’t expressed his sentiments himself.
“Jimmy’s been diagnosed with stomach cancer,” she told host Bill Apter on Sunday. “They have removed the cancer, and they removed a portion of his stomach and his lymph nodes.
“The doctor said he did very well. They’re very happy with the outcome,” she added.
Fiji-born Snuka began his wrestling career in 1970 and the former bodybuilder went on to become one of the biggest names in the WWF and subsequently, WWE. In June 1984, Snuka became embroiled in an intense feud with Piper, then one of the WWF’s top villains, who infamously hit him over the head with a coconut during an interview, leading to a series of grudge matches.
Piper died of cardiac arrest in his Hollywood home on Friday at age 61, and numerous wrestling greats have since publicly mourned his death.
Meanwhile, Snuka “still has a long road ahead of him, and the doctor says he’s an amazingly strong man … we all know how strong Jimmy is,” Carole went on to say about her husband. “Jimmy can take a beating. He says he’s ready for this fight.
“He also wants to let his fans know that he’s not done yet … He is in a struggle right now, but he’s gonna be perfectly fine,” she continued. “And he will be back and visiting with his fans as soon as he feels up and ready to go.”
Both Snuka’s son, Jimmy Reiher, Jr., and daughter, Tamina Snuka, are also wrestlers.
See video of Carole Snuka’s interview below.