Saral Lee, Former WWE Wrestler and Winner of Reality Show 'Tough Enough,' Dead at 30
Sara Lee, a former winner of the WWE "Tough Enough" reality television series, has died. She was 30. Her mother and the wrestling organization confirmed the death on Thursday.
"We are all in shock, and arrangements are not complete... We ask that you respectfully let our family mourn. We all need prayers, especially Cory and her children," her mother, Terri Lee, said in a social media post.
According to NBC News, the cause of death was not provided. In a statement, WWE said Lee's sudden death saddened the organization.
The organization tweeted that Lee has served as an inspiration to the sports-entertainment world as a former "Tough Enough" winner. WWE also offered its heartfelt condolences to her family, friends, and fans.
WWE is saddened to learn of the passing of Sara Lee. As a former "Tough Enough" winner, Lee served as an inspiration to many in the sports-entertainment world. WWE offers its heartfelt condolences to her family, friends and fans. pic.twitter.com/jtjjnG52n7
— WWE (@WWE) October 7, 2022
Lee won Season 6 of the "Tough Enough" reality show, along with Josh Bredl, in 2015.
How Did Sara Lee Start in WWE?
Sara Lee was from Hope Township, Michigan. She went to Meridian High School in Sanford, where she was on the track team and competed as a powerlifter, graduating in 2010.
According to People, Lee got her $250,000 contract from the WWE after winning the "Tough Enough" competition series. After her win, Lee told the Midland Daily News that she thinks her fans "can kind of relate" to her.
"Because I'm a normal girl... I've just been myself," she noted.
Together with current NXT Women's Champion and former "Tough Enough" competitor Mandy Rose, Lee appeared at several NXT live events the following year under the ring name, "Hope," which was after her hometown.
In her only televised match, Lee faced off against seasoned WWE Diva Alicia Fox. In 2016, she was released from her WWE contract and trained with Team Vision Dojo in Orlando, Florida.
Sara Lee After WWE
Sara Lee stopped appearing on "Tough Enough" after her WWE contract ended on September 30, 2016. The decision to let her go occurred after she had completed her first year with the WWE.
In May 2017, she and her husband, Cory James Weston, known by his WWE name "Westin Blake," welcomed their first daughter, Piper. They got married on December 30, 2017, according to The Sun.
In February 2019, their second child, Brady, was born, and their third child in September 2021. Lee often posted videos of herself working out and lifting weights at a gym.
A few days before she died, she was proud to post a selfie of herself after working out. On August 25, she wrote on Instagram that her father had gone to a My Chemical Romance concert with her, just like he had when she was 13. "He's still stuck going with me just as excited as when I was 'lil baby Sara."
Sara also posted a mirror selfie from a bathroom earlier this week, her last Instagram post. She mentioned how difficult her sinus infection had been.
Two days after, Sara Lee died, and the cause of death is still unknown. Meanwhile, WWE star Bull James started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for Lee's funeral and help her family "pick up the pieces" after she died.
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This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Bert Hoover
WATCH: Sara Lee, WWE Wrestler and Mom of 3, Dead at 30 - From People
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