Report: Ex-Wrestler Dean Malenko Recently Had Heart Attack
Connecticut Investigation of WWE Involves Unemployment Insurance Taxes
November 22, 2010Five Questions Linda McMahon Wasn’t Asked on ‘Face the State’
November 23, 2010I have been told by a reliable source that in recent months ex-pro wrestler Dean Malenko, who now works for the World Wrestling Entertainment front office, suffered a heart attack.
Malenko (real name Dean Simon, age 50) was a very close friend of the two WWE wrestlers whose deaths most galvanized attention to the company’s occupational health and safety standards: Eddie Guerrero (who died of a heart attack in 2005 at age 38) and Chris Benoit (who committed double murder/suicide in 2007 at age 40).
Malenko was backstage at last night’s WWE Survivor Series pay-per-view in Miami. (He lives in Florida.) No mention was made to anyone of recent health problems.
WWE spokesman Robert Zimmerman has not responded as yet to my request for comment on this report.
Irv Muchnick
5 Comments
Sorry to hear that, hopefully Dean will have a full and quick recovery. I remember meeting Dean a few times at the ECW Arena back in 1995, and again most recently last year in White Plains, NY during a house show. Dean is truly a class act and I wish him the best! Somewhat surprised WWE made no mention of it on their web site?
“Dean is truly a class act”
That’s…not true. I don’t wish him any ill-will and hope he recovers, but I wouldn’t call a guy who supplied his recovering addict best friend with painkillers a class act.
That’s a shame. I liked Dean Malenko. Let’s hope he gets well soon! 🙂
Dean’s wife Julie posted on my Dean Malenko facebook group about his heart attack. Here is the quote. Julie wrote,” Dean would like to thank everyone for their outpouring of support as he recovers from a heart attack early Wednesday morning.”
October 29 at 6:40pm. I thought I’d share this with you as confirmation of what happened.
One of my favorite early ECW matches (1995) was the Dean Malenko vs. Eddy Guerrero bouts. They were truly classic matches with each man going hold for hold with one another. The crowd support and standing ovations each man received were well earned, and although 15 yrs have passed that match will never get old, and not too many people can outdo that series of matches!