LARGO, Fla. — A medical examiner said Thursday that wrestling legend “Macho Man” Randy Savage died of a “cardiac event” which occurred just seconds before he plowed his Jeep Wrangler into a tree near Tampa, Fla, according to a new report.
Savage, 58, died May 20 after he lost control of the vehicle, crossed a median and hit a tree. An initial autopsy was inconclusive, and authorities said it would take four to six weeks to complete additional testing.
According to the Pinellas County Medical Examiner, Savage suffered from cardiovascular disease, which caused the fatal “cardiac event,” TMZ reported.
The toxicology report showed alcohol and the opiate hydrocodone were present in Savage’s system, but neither contributed to his death, the report said.
Savage’s brother said on the day of the crash that Savage had suffered a heart attack behind the wheel. Savage’s wife, Barbara Poffo, was a passenger in the vehicle and sustained minor injuries.
Savage, whose real name was Randy Poffo, was one of wrestling’s biggest stars through the mid-1980s and 1990s.
A native of Sarasota, Fla., Savage signed with World Wrestling Entertainment (formerly known as the WWF) in 1985 and quickly became a fan favorite. He squared off over the next decade with fellow wrestling legends like Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, Ultimate Warrior and Ric Flair.
He retired in 2005.