Jimmy Snuka, a former WWE superstar known for his high-flying moves inside the ring, lost his battle with stomach cancer on Sunday.
He was 73 years old.
Nicknamed “Superfly,” Snuka’s death was confirmed by his daughter on Twitter,
Tamina, who is currently employed by the WWE, wrote the following about Snuka in the wake of his passing:
“I LOVE YOU DAD.”
She included with this message a moving photo of daughter and father. Here it is:
Dwayne Johnson, the iconic professional wrestler who has turned into a global box office sensation, also paid tribute to Snuka online.
“Our family @TaminaSnuka asked me to share the sad news that her dad Jimmy Snuka has just passed away,” Johnson wrote.
Added Johnson in Samoan: “Alofa atu i le aiga atoa,” which translates to “Family is forever.”
Jimmy Snuka rose to stardom in the 1970s and officially finished his career in 2010.
After starting out as a heel/bad guy, Snuka won over fans with his acrobatic wrestling style, eventually turning into one of the most popular wrestlers of all-time.
He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1996.
Snuka had been battling terminal stomach cancer and dementia for years prior to his death.
He was actually cleared on January 3 in the murder of ex-girlfriend Nancy Argentino, having not faced charges for 30 years until The Morning Call newspaper in Allentown, Pennsylvania raised new questions about whether Snuka told the truth in the case many decades ago.
At 23 years old, Argentino died in 1983 after allegedly after being rushed to a hospital from Snuka’s Whitehall Township hotel room with a severse head injury.
Argentino was Snuka’s mistress. She often traveled with him on the pro wrestling circuit.
A judge in the case determined that there was no reason to continue earlier this month, considering Snuka’s terminal state; the judge deemed Snuka unfit to stand trial
UPDATE: Snuka’s lawyer, Robert Kirwan, confirmed that Snuka passed away at 1 p.m. Sunday at his son-in-law’s home in Florida.
“He’s battled various medical ailemts for over a year and half,” Kirwan said.
“He’s at rest and he is at peace. I came to know him like a friend and his family are my friends. I feel like I have lost a good client and a good friend.”
We send our condolences to Snuka’s friends, family members and loved ones.
