Sara Lee, the former WWE wrestler and winner of the reality TV series “Tough Enough,” has died at the age of 30, her mother said in a Facebook post on Thursday. Her cause of death has not been revealed.
“It is with heavy hearts we wanted to share that our Sara Weston has gone to be with Jesus,” Lee’s mother, Terri, said. “We are all in shock and arrangements are not complete. We ask that you respectfully let our family mourn. We all need prayers especially Cory and her children.”
Lee won WWE’s “Tough Enough” reality TV series in 2015. She received a one-year $250,000 contract with the WWE following the show and was assigned to NXT, the wrestling promotion company’s developmental brand. She later retired from wrestling and married wrestler Westin Blake – whose real name is Cory James Weston – in 2017. They had three children together.
World Wrestling Entertainment also issued a statement, saying it was “saddened” to learn of Lee’s death.
“As a former ‘Tough Enough’ winner, Lee served as an inspiration to many in the sports-entertainment world,” WWE said. “WWE offers its heartfelt condolences to her family, friends and fans.”
In her final Instagram post on Wednesday, she wrote about battling a sinus infection for the first time.
Fellow wrestlers paid their condolences on social media.
“Absolutely heart breaking, life is too short. Sara was awesome sending love and prayers to her family and loved ones,” WWE star Sonya Deville tweeted.
Wrestler Chelsea Green shared photos of her and Lee, and said she’ll be “missed greatly.”
