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Hall of fame wrestler and hardcore legend Terry Funk has died at the age of 79, his longtime friend and mentee, fellow WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley, confirmed in a post shared on his social media accounts.
"Terry Funk is gone. I just talked to Terry’s daughter, Brandee, who gave me the awful news," Foley wrote. "He was my mentor, my idol, one of the closest friends. He was the greatest wrestler I ever saw. If you get the chance, look up a Terry Funk match or a Terry Funk promo, and give thanks that this incredible man gave so much, for so long, to so many. There will never be another like him. May God bless Terry, his friends, family and all who loved him. RIP my dear friend - it was an honor to know you. #RIPTerryFunk"
WWE also paid tribute to Funk following news of his death.
"WWE is saddened to learn that WWE Hall of Famer Terry Funk has passed away at the age of 79. WWE extends its condolences to Funk’s family, friends and fans," the company posted.
In 2021, fellow WWE Hall of Famer Don Muraco revealed that Funk had been moved to an assisted living home in Amarillo, Texas amid a dementia battle. PWinsider's Mike Johnson confirmed Muraco's initial report with his own, adding, "PWInsider.com can unfortunately (and I cannot explain how much this breaks my heart) confirm this to be correct. Terry has been dealing with issues for some time that have gotten progressively worse over the last year in the wake of the passing of his wife Vickie."
Funk made his professional wrestling debut for the National Wrestling Alliance in Texas in 1965 as part of a career that spanned more than 50 years, pioneering the hardcore wrestling style in the 1990s. The 79-year-old competed for numerous promotions worldwide including WWE, Championship Wrestling from Florida, All Japan, World Championship Wrestling and Extreme Championship Wrestling before his official retirement.
Funk last competed in a six-man tag alongside the Rock n' Roll Express (Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson) against Doug Gilbert, Jerry "The King" Lawler and his late son Brian Lawler in 2017.