Luke Perry’s pro wrestler son Jack ‘Jungle Boy’ Perry posted a touching tribute to his father on Instagram two days after the actor died at the age of 52.
Jack, 21, shared a throwback photo of him with his father alongside with a more recent photo of himself on Wednesday afternoon, writing in the caption: ‘He was a lot of things to a lot of people. To me, he was always Dad.’
‘He loved supported me in everything, and inspired me to be the best that I could possibly be.’
Jack continued: ‘I’ve learned so much from you, and my heart is broken thinking about everything you won’t be here for.
‘I’ll miss you every day that I walk this earth.
‘I’ll do whatever I can to carry on your legacy and make you proud.
‘I love you Dad.’
Luke Perry’s pro wrestler son Jack ‘Jungle Boy’ Perry paid tribute to his father with a throwback photo posted to Instagram on Wednesday, two days after the actor died at the age of 52
Luke Perry died on Monday, just days after suffering a stroke at home in Los Angeles. His son Jack wrote on Instagram: ‘He was a lot of things to a lot of people. To me, he was always Dad’
The recent photo above was also included in Jack Perry’s Instagram tribute to his father
Jack Perry’s emotional caption reacting to his father’s death is seen in full above
Hours earlier on Wednesday it was revealed that Jack would be skipping the Bar Wrestling show he was scheduled to attend on March 13 at the Bootleg Theater in Los Angeles.
‘Unfortunately Jungle Boy will no longer be wrestling at our March 13th show,’ the promotion said on its Twitter account. ‘Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family at this time.’
Luke Perry – who shot to fame in the early 90s playing Dylan McKay on Beverly Hills, 90210 – died Monday, about five days after he suffered a massive stroke at his Sherman Oaks, California home February 27.
The actor’s family and friends were by his side in his final moments, according to his publicist, Arnold Robinson.
‘The family appreciates the outpouring of support and prayers that have been extended to Luke from around the world, and respectfully request privacy in this time of great mourning,’ Robinson said.
Luke Perry’s 18-year-old daughter Sophie, who cut short a charity trip to Africa and rushed home to be by her ailing father’s side in his final hours, broke her silence on Tuesday by sharing a photo of her with her dad.
In the caption she wrote: ‘I’m not really sure what to say or do in this situation, it’s something you aren’t ever given a lesson on how to handle, especially when it’s all happening in the public eye.
‘So bare with me and know that I am grateful for all the love. Just, being grateful quietly.’
The rest of her post reads: ‘A lot has happened in this past week for me. Everything is happening so fast. I made it back from Malawi just in time to be here with my family.
‘And in the past 24 hours I have received an overwhelming amount of love and support.
‘I cannot individually respond to the hundreds of beautiful and heartfelt messages, but I see them, and appreciate you all for sending positivity to my family and I.’
Luke Perry’s daughter Sophie, 18, abruptly ended her six-month trip and came home as soon as she learned her actor father had a stroke last Wednesday. Breaking her silence on Tuesday, Sophie shared a photo of herself and her father on Instagram, writing: ‘I’m not really sure what to say or do in this situation, it’s something you aren’t ever given a lesson on how to handle’
Jack’s pro wrestling gimmick is akin to a Tarzan persona, as he wrestles with long wavy locks down, and leopard print boots.
Speaking to Sports Illustrated in January, Jack said he aimed ‘to have [his] own success,’ and didn’t seek to ride on the coattails of his celebrity father.
‘My family is a part of who I am,’ he told the magazine, ‘but I’m trying to make my own way.’
He told the publication how he trains with actor David Arquette, who has made several trips to the squared circle over the past two decades.
‘Wrestling is pretty tough. Anyone who’s been in there and done it will tell you it’s not easy,’ Jack said. ‘David has no real reason to get in the ring, and potentially hurt himself, other than it’s something he really loves to do.
‘I respect and appreciate that a lot. He’s doing what he wants to do, he’s doing it his way, and I think that’s really cool.’
Update: The promotion announced via Twitter that Luke would not be performing next week
Jack’s pro wrestling gimmick is akin to a Tarzan persona, as he wrestles with long wavy locks down and leopard print boots
Luke was ringside in November at Joey Janela’s L.A. Confidential show when Arquette suffered a grisly cut to his neck during a match against hardcore wrestler Nick Gage, Arquette told the publication in November.
‘I got cut in a part of my neck muscle that was really close to my jugular,’ Arquette said. It’s in an area called “the box” in your neck, and if you get hit there it’s pretty deadly.
‘Luke is a dear friend of mine, and his son, who is a fantastic wrestler named Jungle Boy, was wrestling on the same show. We’ve been friends for over 30 years, so Luke is the one I went to see to look inside the wound. He looked and said, “No,” so I knew I didn’t cut a main artery or vein.’
Reverence: Jack wore a shirt honoring the legendary Hart wrestling family