Rick Rude died on April 20, 1999, at the age of 40 due to heart failure caused by an overdose of mixed medications. The autopsy revealed that the overdose involved substances including valium and gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), a drug commonly used by athletes to accelerate recovery from intense weightlifting sessions. He was found unconscious by his wife and although paramedics attempted to revive him, he died before reaching the hospital. At the time of his death, Rick Rude was training for a return to professional wrestling. His death was ruled an accidental overdose rather than suicide. He left behind a wife and three children, and his passing was a significant loss to the wrestling world. Rick Rude has since been inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, cementing his legacy in professional wrestling.
