On Wednesday, April 20, 2016, former WWE superstar Chyna passed away at the age of 46. After her death, her manager, Anthony Anzaldo, made a statement that her brain has been sent for research to see whether she was suffering from a brain disease known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE.
Although the cause of her death is unknown, Anzaldo said they are donating her brain because they “want to know what made Chyna tick.”
Chyna’s real name was Joan Marie Laurer, she was known as the “9th Wonder of the World.” She was a groundbreaking member of the WWE and often wrestled against men. She was the WWE Women’s Champion and the only undefeated Women’s Champion in the WWF.
Lately, CTE has been a controversial and devastating disease in the world of sports. Many NFL and NHL players have died and were later diagnosed with CTE. Brain disease became a serious threat to WWE in June 2015, when it was sued on behalf of a former member who suffered from traumatic brain injuries. CTE is believed to be caused by repeated blows to the head and despite the many diagnoses of former professional sports members, it can still only be diagnosed after death.