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Chyna death: WWE star was set to appear on Intervention TV show before she died of 'possible drug overdose'

'An interventionalist was already lined up as was a facility that was going to take her for 90 days,' says Chyna's former manager

Maya Oppenheim
Tuesday 26 April 2016 15:21 BST
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Chyna’s substance addiction has been publicised in the past and the wrestler is known to have found it difficult to adapt to life after departing from the WWE
Chyna’s substance addiction has been publicised in the past and the wrestler is known to have found it difficult to adapt to life after departing from the WWE (AP)

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Chyna’s manager has claimed he planned to put the WWE wrestling icon on Intervention, a reality television show which explores the problems faced by addicts.

The 45-year-old whose real name is Joan Laurer was found dead at her California apartment last Wednesday. The Los Angeles County Coroner has said they are investigating a possible drug overdose as cause of death.

Chyna’s manager Anthony Anzaldo has revealed he recently made a private deal with the producers of the popular US Emmy-award winning show.

“An interventionalist was already lined up as was a facility that was going to take her for 90 days,” Anzaldo told TMZ Sports.

He also said they’d planned to get some of the Chyna’s fellow wrestlers, such as Stone Cold Steve Austin and Mick Foley, involved in the intervention.

It was Anzaldo who found Chyna’s body unresponsive in her home in Redondo Beach last week. He had decided to pay her a visit after not hearing from her in days and starting to grow concerned. “I found her … she looked peaceful,“ he recalled.

The wrestling pioneer’s career was marked by a long list of triumphs. From becoming the first female wrestler to win the WWE International Championship to being the first woman to enter the Royal Rumble match, the New York native established herself as one of the most enduringly illustrious and iconic female wrestlers in history.

Following the news of her tragic death, her friend, Erik Angra, has spoken out about the fact she had been using more of her prescriptions than she should have.

Chyna’s substance addiction has been publicised and the wrestler is known to have found it difficult to adapt to life after departing from the WWE.

So far, the County Coroner spokesman Ed Winter has confirmed that early examinations point towards a drug overdose being the cause of death although a toxicology report will not come back for several weeks to come.

Despite Chyna’s achievements and lasting legacy, she does not have a place in the WWE’s Hall of fame. This is widely believed to be due to her work in the porn industry from 2004 onwards.

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