Sara Lee, WWE 'Tough Enough' winner and former NXT wrestler, dead at 30
Lee competed in NXT after she won on 'Tough Enough'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Sara Lee, a former WWE "Tough Enough" winner who performed on the company’s NXT brand for nearly a year, has died, her mother announced on social media. Lee was 30.
Lee’s mother, Terri, made the shocking revelation on her Facebook account.
"It is with heavy hearts we wanted to share that our Sara Weston has gone to be with Jesus," Terri wrote. "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."
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WWE released a statement on Lee's death late Thursday.
"WWE is saddened to learn of the passing of Sara Lee. As a former ‘Tough Enough’ winner, Lee served as an inspiration to many in the sports-entertainment world. WWE offers its heartfelt condolences to her family, friends and fans," the company said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Lee participated in the sixth season of WWE "Tough Enough" in 2015, which is a reality series run by the pro wrestling company to determine who would get a WWE contract. She won the event with Josh Bredl, who wrestled as Bronson Matthews.
Sara Lee was a WWE "Tough Enough" winner. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
The Hope Township, Michigan, native initially performed under the moniker "Hope" before changing back to her real name. She was assigned to NXT and trained at the WWE Performance Center before moving onto NXT. She performed on the brand until 2016 when she was released.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}She married wrestler Wesley Blake, whose real name is Cory Weston, in 2017.
Her cause of death wasn’t revealed.
The pro wrestling industry sent condolences to her family on social media.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A GoFundMe was started to help her family.
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"We’re all shocked and saddened by the sudden death of Tough Enough winner Sara Lee. As her loving husband, Cory, picks up the pieces and continues to raise their 3 children, the last thing anyone in that position wants to be worried about is money and paying for a funeral and everything else that comes along with it," the GoFundMe reads. "The wrestling community has always been one to come together in the wake of tragedy and this is no different. Every penny raised from this will go directly to Cory and the kids. Thank you all in advance. RIP Sara, you were one of the good ones."