Joanie Laurer, former WWE star wrestler Chyna, dead at 46
As her wrestling career wound down, she appeared on The Surreal Life, Celebrity Rehab
Chyna, the tall, muscle-bound, raven-haired pro-wrestler who rocketed to popularity in the 1990s and later made the rounds on reality TV, has died, authorities said.
Police in Southern California said they were responding to a 911 call from a friend of the former World Wrestling Entertainment wrestler when they found her dead in her Redondo Beach apartment.
A friend had gone Wednesday to check on Chyna, whose real name is Joan Marie Laurer, after she had failed to answer her phone for a few days, Redondo Beach police said in a statement. The friend told the 911 operator that Laurer wasn't breathing.
The 46-year-old was dead when officers arrived, police said.
A coroner's official said police initially reported the death of former WWE wrestler Chyna as a "possible overdose."
Ed Winter, Los Angeles County's assistant chief coroner, said Wednesday that an autopsy was planned in the next few days. It could be weeks before the results of toxicology tests are known.
Laurer billed herself as the "9th Wonder of the World" because her wrestling predecessor Andre the Giant had already called himself the eighth.
Shattered glass ceilings, kicked down doors, broke gender barriers, she was an anomaly & untouchable. Rest now-ur legacy lives on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RIPChyna?src=hash">#RIPChyna</a>
—@trishstratuscomChyna was fearless to no man & a huge part of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/womenswrestling?src=hash">#womenswrestling</a> her impact will never be forgotten. thoughts & prayers are with her family 💜
—@MsCharlotteWWE<a href="https://twitter.com/ChynaJoanLaurer">@ChynaJoanLaurer</a> May the peace you were seeking put you at rest my friend. So sorry for not seeing the pain <a href="https://twitter.com/MANIA">@Mania</a>. We've shared so much
—@RealKevinNashShe was a member of the wrestling squad that dubbed itself "D-Generation X," often wrestled against men and at one point was the WWE women's champion.
After leaving the WWE in 2001, Laurer posed for Playboy and appeared in adult films and on reality TV, including the shows The Surreal Life and Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew.
A statement posted Wednesday night on her website reads, "Today we lost a true icon, a real life superhero. 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 was a native of Rochester, N.Y., and graduated from the University of Tampa in Florida before taking up wrestling.
She joins a long list of WWE professional wrestlers who have died relatively young, including Rick Rude, Curt (Mr. Perfect) Hennig, the Ultimate Warrior and Owen Hart.
We are saddened to learn of the passing of Joanie "Chyna" Laurer. <a href="https://t.co/EgNstScdcD">https://t.co/EgNstScdcD</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RIPChyna?src=hash">#RIPChyna</a> <a href="https://t.co/oLSB509p7p">pic.twitter.com/oLSB509p7p</a>
—@WWE