WWE Tough Enough III winner Matt Cappotelli passed away Friday, exactly one year after having brain surgery following word that his doctors had found a ‘very large tumor.’
His wife, Lindsay, shared the sad news of his passing with his Facebook fans on Friday afternoon.
‘Hey Team Capp…I’ve been struggling with what to say and how to say this, and I’ll probably end up rambling, but here goes,’ Lindsay wrote.
‘Today my love-my strong, sweet, beautiful love-took his last breath at 3:30 a.m. and went Home to be with Jesus…exactly one year after his brain surgery. You think you can be prepared for this when you know it’s coming, but you just can’t.
‘The only person who’s comfort I want right now is the one who can’t give it to me. I miss him so much. I know where he is now is so much better, but it doesn’t change how much I miss him.’
WWE Tough Enough III winner Matt Cappotelli died Friday, one year after undergoing brain surgery to remove a ‘very large’ tumor that had grown back 10 years after his cancer diagnosis
Cappotelli’s wife, Lindsay, shared the sad news with Cappotelli’s Facebook fans Friday
Cappotelli passed away Friday at 3.30am. He was first diagnosed with a malignant tumor in 2005, forcing him to retire from a burgeoning WWE wrestling career at age 27
Cappotelli, 38, was originally diagnosed with a malignant tumor in 2005, a few years after winning the professional wrestling reality TV show, WWE Tough Enough III, and receiving a WWE contract.
The diagnosis forced him to retire from his burgeoning wrestling career at the age of 27.
The cancerous tumor was removed in 2007 and he returned to the wrestling world in 2013, becoming a beginner’s program trainer at Ohio Valley Wrestling, where he’d previously trained before retiring.
But, in 2017, Cappotelli revealed that his brain cancer had returned in a more aggressive form and that it was ‘a very large tumor and there is a portion that is inoperable.’
He underwent a second brain surgery on June 29, 2017, writing on his wife’s Facebook page that he had, ‘Just found out the tumor that I had removed 10 years ago has come back much more aggressively and needs to be dealt with.’
Cappotelli underwent a second brain surgery in June 29, 2017, after doctors found a ‘very large tumor.’ His wife posted these images of him along with a message he wrote telling fans that he was preparing for surgery
After his 2017 surgery, Cappotelli (with wife Lindsay) said that he chose to continue speaking about his diagnosis publicly to encourage others facing similar challenges to stay strong
Cappotelli (in an undated photo) played college football before going on to win a WWE reality TV program in 2003 and receive a WWE contract
‘The portion that they’re hoping to remove will be sent for pathology, which will determine what exactly we are dealing with and provide insight on future treatment plans and the next steps for the inoperable portion in my brain stem #John9:1-3,’ he added.
After his second surgery, Cappotelli said he chose to continue to be public with his brain cancer battle as a way of encouraging others facing similar challenges to stay strong.
‘Life is the most precious gift we’re given,’ he told WWE.com in 2017. ‘If I can inspire others to not give up on the life they’ve been blessed to have, that’s what I’m trying to spread – hope.’
After hearing of his death, Cappotelli’s WWE family took to social media to share tributes to their friend.
‘#RIPMattCappotelli You showed everyone what it means to never give up and to always stay positive. It was a honor to know you,’ WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon tweeted.
On Instagram, WWE Superstar The Miz — a former MTV Real World and Road Rules star — wrote, ‘In 2005, Matt Cappotelli & I were gonna be brought up to WWE Smackdown as the tag team “Reality Check.”
‘One day out of no where he called me and said that he had just been diagnosed w/ brain cancer. On the phone, even with this scary news he remained positive and was gonna fight to beat cancer. He has been fighting for his life ever since. Every time I saw him he was positive and always had a smile on his face. Today, we lost a good one. A true fighter. My condolences to his wife and family. Matt, you will be missed my friend.’
Pro wrestler and actor John Morrison tweeted, ‘My first best friend in the wrestling business and to this day one of the best people I’ve ever known Matt Cappotelli has passed on. I’m gutted about this news. Matt inspired everyone around him especially me early in my career. He is loved and will be missed.’