Legendary wrestling announcer Don West has passed away after battling cancer. He was 59 years old.
IMPACT Wrestling, where West’s voice became synonymous with the promotion — known at the time as Total Nonstop Action (TNA) — for over a decade, announced West’s death on Friday afternoon.
“You can’t think of TNA/IMPACT without thinking of Don West,” said Scott D’Amore, Executive Vice President of Impact Wrestling. he said in a statement. “Don and Mike Tenay provided the soundtrack to many defining moments in the company’s history. No more cherished member of the TNA/IMPACT family.”
“Don was truly one of a kind who brightened every room he entered. He brought out the best in people and was an inspiration to everyone he met.”
The Illinois native was diagnosed Brain lymphomaa rare, highly aggressive form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2021. West was declared in remission in September 2021.
Cancer West, however, Back in January Which prompted the broadcaster to undergo chemotherapy and radiation. He updated wrestling fans throughout his treatment, revealing the tumor had doubled in size in May.
West joined IMPACT/TNA in 2002, serving as the promotion’s color commentator. He became an on-screen fixture for wrestling fans in the early 2000s before leaving the company in 2012.
After his time in wrestling, he joined the Wenatchee Wild of the British Columbia Hockey League as the team’s director of sales and marketing and launched his own sports talk radio show.
West’s former partner, Mike Tenay, expressed his grief over West’s death in a touching post on Twitter.
“We bonded once we met, as broadcast partners and friends,” Tanai said. Years of great moments on and off camera.
West leaves behind his wife, Terri.
“Sorry to hear about the death of wrestling commentator Don West,” wrestler Kurt Angle said chirp. “Don was an incredible man with so much energy. My prayers go out to his family.”
wrestler Matt Hardy said“I had great experiences every time I interacted with him. Don was one of those good guys, who was full of passion and enthusiasm.”
