Monday, December 28, 2020
US professional wrestler Jon Huber, who performed for WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) under the ring name Luke Harper and for AEW (All Elite Wrestling) under the ring name Brodie Lee, died on Saturday aged 41.
According to his wife, Amanda, Huber succumbed to an unspecified lung disorder, unrelated to COVID-19, for which he received treatment at the Mayo Clinic. At the time of his death, Huber was signed to AEW but had been absent from television tapings since October for reasons not publicized. The professional wrestling community reacted to the news with grief and shock.
“Heartbroken and numb,” writes Huber’s longtime tag team partner Erick Rowan on Instagram. “I have lost not only a friend but a brother!”
In his WWE run from 2012 to 2019, as Luke Harper, Huber, an imposing figure standing six feet five inches tall, aligned with Rowan as part of The Wyatt Family faction. He won the promotion’s Intercontinental Championship once and the Smackdown Tag Team Championship. After asking for his release from WWE, Huber signed with AEW around the beginning of this year. In March, he debuted as the heel Brodie Lee, leader of the villainous faction The Dark Order. This past August, he won the promotion’s TNT Championship.
“Huber was exceptionally respected and loved in every way”, reads an AEW press release, “a fierce and captivating talent, a thoughtful mentor and simply a very kind soul that starkly contradicted his persona as Mr. Brodie Lee. Jon’s love for his wife Amanda, and children Brodie and Nolan, was evident to all of us who were fortunate enough to spend time with him”.
WWE expressed sadness and extended condolences to the family, friends, and fans of Huber. They currently feature a video on their website highlighting Huber’s career.