“Rowdy” Roddy Piper has been an outspoken advocate for the long-term health and well-being of wrestlers. Having seen his fellow brothers and sisters of the squared circle affected, he spoke about the issue on the HBO series “Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel” in 2003. In that interview, Piper would exclaim, “Everybody’s dead.” He would continue, saying, “They’re all dying early and nobody cares about it.”
Piper questioned the role that the promoters who book the wrestlers play in their early demises. He told Gumbel, “They take them and screw them up so much. They being the rash of promoters I’ve gone through in 30 years.”
In the years since Piper’s interview, WWE created and implemented a comprehensive wellness policy and program. This includes random drug testing, regular medical checks, and a series of punishments if the policy is violated. They have also offered rehabilitation for any former wrestler, free of charge.
As for “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, he died on July 31, 2015, at the age of 61. The cause of his death was a heart attack brought on by a pulmonary embolism.