Brian Pillman was one of the most talented, up-and-coming superstars in the WWF. Tragically, he died at the age of 35 in 1997 from a heart attack, brought on by a heart condition that doctors hadn't discovered in him.
Pillman left behind his wife, Melanie, four children and two step-children. His death devastated the wrestling world, as Pillman was one of the first wrestlers to die at a young age, in the midst of their careers.
But the Pillman wrestling family is just getting started again. According to WrestlingInc.com, his son—Brian Pillman Jr.—wrestled his first match at a show in Indianapolis. He defeated Jonathan Wolf, who offered major praise to Pillman.
During a recent interview with Wrestle:List Pillman Jr. talked about his goals of working for the WWE, saying "the company that will benefit the most from me becoming a wrestler would be the federation [WWE]."
Pillman Jr. was just a toddler when his father passed away, but is bent on joining the likes of Charlotte, Natalya, Randy Orton, and Cody Rhodes as second or third generation superstars.
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Brian Pillman's death came long before fellow WWE superstars like Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit, and Umaga died in the midst of their wrestling careers. At the time, Pillman's death was incredibly shocking, and the wrestling world wasn't accustomed to hearing about young wrestlers passing away so young.
Over the years, the WWE has put together programs to ensure wrestlers of the past and present are in good health. They've put wrestlers like Jeff Jarrett, Lex Luger, Scott Hall, and Jake 'The Snake' Roberts through rehabbing programs, helping them get through addictions and other health problems.
Pillman has been gone for over 20 years, but he's not forgotten. Here's hoping Brian Pillman Jr. can follow his father's footsteps and put together a successful wrestling career.