Chyna, WWE Wrestling Star, Dies At 45: Celebrities React To Her Death

Former WWE star Joanie "Chyna" Laurer was found dead Wednesday afternoon at her home in Redondo Beach, Calif, at the age of 45.

A friend of the wrestling legend-turned-reality star had not heard from her for a couple of days and went to her apartment to investigate. Laurer's friend found her unresponsive at her home and called 911. She was pronounced dead on the scene.

"Officers arrived on scene and discovered a deceased female inside the location," Sgt. Shawn Freeman, a spokesman for the city's police department, said in a statement. "There are no indications or signs that the death was a result of foul play. From the preliminary investigation, it appears that the deceased passed away prior to being discovered by the friend."

The cause of death is currently unknown, but police said that there was no evidence of foul play as a cause of death.

"It is with deep sadness to inform you today that we lost a true icon, a real life superhero," an official statement released on her Twitter 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."

Laurer rose to fame as a professional wrestler in 1997 when she was named the "Ninth Wonder of the World" by the WWE. During her groundbreaking career, she became the first woman to win WWE's Intercontinental Championship in 1999 and won the Women's Championship in 2001. After she retired from wrestling in 2001, Laurer went on to star in a number of VH1 reality shows, including "The Surreal Life, "The Surreal Life: Fame Games" and "Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew," which chronicled her struggle with addiction.

Many celebrities and WWE stars took to social media to remember Laurer. Check some of them out below:

Tags

Wwe