Wrestler Big Van Vader dead at 63

Big Van Vader, a former WWE star who transitioned to professional wrestling after a short career in the NFL, has died at 63.

Vader, whose real name was Leon White, had a history of heart problems. He passed away Monday evening, his son announced on Twitter.

“Around a month ago my father was diagnosed with a severe case of Pneumonia. He fought extremely hard and clinically was making progress,” Jesse White tweeted from his dad’s account. “Unfortunately, on Monday night his heart had enough and it was his time.”

Vader revealed in November 2016 that he had congestive heart failure and had been told by doctors that he only had two years to live.

The wrestler had openheart surgery this past March. He later tweeted that he had a second heart operation in May.

Vader spent two seasons in the NFL — both with the Los Angeles Rams — after being drafted in the third round out of the University of Colorado in 1978. He was part of a 1979 Rams team that played in Super Bowl XIV.

He went on to have a highly successful wrestling career in Japan after retiring from football. His American wrestling career took off in 1990 when he joined World Championship Wresting (WCW), where he would win the heavyweight championship three times.