To a generation of wrestling fans, Randy “Macho Man” Savage was much more than a Slim Jim pitch man. He was the “Ooooooh Yeaahhhhh!” prime-time wrestler who helped make the WWF one of the nation's most popular televised sports. He's also credited with raising the bar for the once unheralded title of Intercontinental Champion (we assume intercontinental because it included such terrorist greats like the Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff).
Randall Mario Poffo came from a wrestling family; his brother, “Leaping” Lanny Poffo confirmed the sad news to TMZ, saying the Macho Man suffered a heart attack while driving around 9:25 this morning. Florida Highway Patrol later confirmed he was driving his 2009 Jeep Wrangler when he veered across a concrete median, through oncoming traffic, and “collided head-on with a tree.” Savage's second wife, Lynn Payne, was a passenger in the vehicle during the collision, but survived with “minor injuries.” She was transported to a different local hospital where she was treated. Both were said to be wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash. The two had just celebrated their one-year anniversary on May 10.
Along with his decorated career, many will remember Randy Savage as the wrestler with the hottest manager, Miss Elizabeth, who was his real life wife Elizabeth Hulette. The two divorced in 1992, and Hulette died just over a decade later of a drug overdose in the home of professional wrestler Lex Luger.
We'd like to take this moment to remember the late, great Randy “Macho Man” Savage. May you give us one more Atomic Drop from the sky.
