Leon White, known to wrestling fans as “Vader or “Big Van Vader” has passed away, according to his son who is operating Vader’s personal twitter account. White had undergone heart surgery in recent months and was battling multiple ailments.
It is with a heavy heart to inform everyone that my father, Leon White, passed away on Monday night (6/18/18) at approximately 7:25pm. pic.twitter.com/dP4CNaMuXa
— Big Van Vader (@itsvadertime) June 20, 2018
White was a football star who turned to pro-wrestling after a brief stint in the NFL. His unique combination of size and agility made him a star in Japan, WCW, and WWF. He held multiple belts across the world and was inducted into the Wrestling Observer Hall Of Fame in 1996. White remains one of the biggest wrestling icons not yet in the WWE Hall Of Fame.
https://twitter.com/MrLARIATO/status/951997002438586368
https://twitter.com/MrLARIATO/status/1001863822846685185
https://twitter.com/MrLARIATO/status/869692166850871296
We will update this story as we learn more.