REST IN PEACE – STEROID USERS
TRACK AND FIELD LEGEND: Disgraced by Steroids is Found DEAD!
On Tuesday, August 10th, 2010, it was reported that Antonio Pettigrew was found dead in North Carolina. Antonio Pettigrew was among the select few Americans who won gold medals at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. As a track and field star, Pettigrew performed quite well as a member of the American 1600 meter relay team. His earlier collegiate triumphs include 4-NCAA Division II championships for the 400 meter dash while at the University of North Carolina.
Shortly following his victories at the Summer Games, Antonio was embroiled in legal actions that were directed against Pettigrew’s former track coach – Trevor Graham. Graham was being investigated (later tried…) for his contribution to a steroid/HGH supplier who accommodated buyers around the vicinity of UNC. These court actions forced Pettigrew to admit to his steroid use which subsequently compelled both the United States Anti-Doping Agency and the IOC (International Olympic Committee) to strip Pettigrew of his entire collection of medals.
By August of 2010, it was reported Pettigrew’s wife alerted local law enforcement that her husband had been missing. Pettigrew’s body was shortly found by friends inside of his parked car along the route of his typical commute. There is speculation of suicide due to the reported abnormal quantity of sleeping pills in his system.
WRESTLING UPSTART FOUND DEAD:
On December 3rd of 2009, Eddie ‘Umaga’ Fatu died of multiple heart failure. Eddie Fatu was not a wrestling star but, nonetheless, known in the WWE domain. The Samoan was related to other Samoan notables who were also exploited in the wrestling entertainment industry. For an industry that is tailored for the American audience and its prejudices, the eccentric/comical presence of Samoans and other ethnic groups was only intended to serve a minimal purpose. The potential for Fatu to reach higher heights throughout the white-dominated wrestling subculture was capped.
Originally training with the Wild Samoan Pro Wrestling Training Center, Eddie transitioned to the WWE in 2002 and debuted under the name ‘Jamal’. Other stints included the TNA organization and performing under the alias ‘Ekmo’ as well as joining the All Japan Pro Wrestling Company. The ‘Umaga’ name was given to Fatu after rejoining WWE in 2006 under the supervision of McMahon (see previous posts regarding Billy ‘Superstar’ Graham and his confessions about McMahon).
Offsetting his WWE successes with the RAW and Smackdown editions, Eddie Fatu would violate the laughable WWE Wellness Policy which called for mandatory rehabilitation. Fatu’s non-compliance would result in separations from the WWE on 2 separate occasions. Fatu’s name would surface during external steroid investigations regarding professional wrestling. Eddie’s spiral would conclude on December 3rd, 209 when his wife found him non-responsive and bleeding from both his mouth and nose. Eddie was rushed to a Houston, Texas hospital where they determined that he’d suffered a heart attack while watching television. Eddie suffered another major heart attack while under supervision in the hospital. Fatu was pronounced as dead later that evening.
FEMALE BODYBUILDER/WRESTLER DIES
As reported by TMZ, Gertrude ‘Luna’ Chacon has died of heart failure on Friday, August 27th of 2010. Luna was Gertrude’s wrestling name given to her while performing for the WWE organization. Reportedly, Chacon was found already dead by her mother inside of her Florida home. It was said that there were performance enhancing drugs scattered about her as well as crushed Oxycodone tablets.
