*Updated*
A Member of one of El Paso's most Legendary Families died Sunday!
R.I.P Eddie!
Growing up in El Paso you coudn't help but know who the Guerrero's were, I mean my mom used to take me to the wrestling matches when I was a baby and Gory Guerrero was the man in El Paso, along with Ricky Romero. I can't really remember those days, but I have always loved professional wrestling ever since I can remember. I used to watch the NWA on TBS with The Road Warriors, Ric Flair, Sting, Dusty Rhodes, Magnum T.A. and of course if your a Texan you watched the events from the Sportatorium here in Dallas with Chavo Guerrero, Chris Adams, Brusier Brody, and the Von Erics. I still watch the WWE every week and when ever I go back to El Paso I have driven past Gory Guerrero's other business, which is a bail bond company on my way to find the closest Chico's Tacos.
I was deeply sadden to find out on Sunday that one of the few Latinos to make a HUGE impact in the WWE has died. Unlike Tito Santana, who could only get the Intercontinental Championship, the WWE allowed Eddie to be a WORLD CHAMPION! They have sinced recognized the impact Latino have on not only the sport, but the live events. They have embraced their Latino Fans and have shown us respect.
Eddie, who was 38, was found in a Minneapolis hotel room hours before he was scheduled to wrestle. His nephew, Chavo Jr. and security gained access to Eddie's room after he failed to respond to his wake up call. The cause of death is not known at this time and an autopsy will take place so that they can find the cause of death.
Vince McMahon and Chavo Jr. hosted a press conference Sunday night and Mr. McMahon had these words to say, “This is a huge loss, Eddie was a wonderful, fun-loving human being. Eddie was the consummate performer.”
Eddie had battled Drug and Alcohol Addiction when he was working for the WCW before coming to the WWE. He was clean and sober for the past 4 years and during this time he experienced his greatest achievements in wrestling.
On Wednesday, November 16th, the WWE received copies of the priliminary autopsy and the conclusion was that Eddie died of heart failure. His wife Vickey has made this statement, “It was heart failure. It was from his past – the drinking and the drug abuse. They found signs of heart disease. She (the examiner) said that the blood vessels were very worn and narrow, and that just showed all the abuse from the scheduling of work and his past. And Eddie just worked out like crazy all the time. It made his heart grow bigger and work harder and the vessels were getting smaller, and that’s what caused the heart failure. He went into a deep sleep.“
Eddie truly was a great wrestler and entertainer, from his days in Triple AAA to his climb up the ladder in the WCW, even creating the Latino World Order, LwO, to his success in the WWE. I will miss him driving his lowriders out to the arena and his skills as a showman. I was proud that the WWE had made this Mexican-American, from my home town of EL PASO, the FIRST Mexican-American World Champion!
I applaud the WWE for the way they handled the tribute show on both Monday and on this Friday. For those that watched RAW on Monday, you saw the reaction and love that Eddie had from his fellow entertainers. So if you didn't see RAW on Monday, I suggest that you watch SMACKDOWN this Friday at 7pm on UPN 21 so you can see what I and so many others saw in Eddie.
Eddie is survived by his wife and three children. Eddie will be buried on the 17th of November in a private funeral in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he had just moved his family a little over a month ago.
Latino Heat will be missed!!!
