Legendary professional wrestler "Beautiful" Bobby Eaton has died, the National Wrestling Alliance announced Thursday. He was 62.
"His impact & legacy will always be remembered," the National Wrestling Alliance tweeted. "We send our love to his friends and family."
Eaton's cause of death was unclear.
His friend, wrestler Thomas Laughlin, better known as Tommy Dreamer, told NBC News on Thursday that he was "gutted."
"He was one of the best, but what a better person he was," Laughlin said. "Once you met him, you realized he was a greater human being than the image you had as a professional wrestler."
Eaton's sister wrote on Facebook that "Bobby was the kindest, loving person you would ever meet. I loved him so much and going to miss him."
She posted dozens of photos, writing: "I thought I would have my brothers forever. Wasn't ready to lose one."
She shared that Eaton knew when he was 3 years old that he wanted to wrestle.
Eaton made up one-half of "The Midnight Express," first with Dennis Condrey and then with Stan Lane. He was inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2019, along with the rest of the wrestlers who made up the tag team.
The Huntsville, Alabama, native broke into the business at the age of 17 and won his first tag team title two years later, according to WWE. He enjoyed a nearly 40-year career.
Fellow wrestlers regarded Eaton as underrated and one of the kindest people in the business.
"If you’ve studied pro wrestling with any true attention, you’ve studied Bobby Eaton. And understand just how special he was in the ring," WWE wrestler Adam Copeland wrote on Twitter. "Every time I encountered him outside of it, he was an even better person."
Wrestler Dax Harwood tweeted: "'There will never be another…' always gets said, but this is absolutely true; 'Beautiful' Bobby Eaton was literally one of a kind. Rest In Peace, Bobby. The wrestling Business did not deserve you, but I’m glad we got you."
Eaton was married to wrestler Bill Dundee's daughter Donna, and the couple had three children. Donna died in June at the age of 62.
