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WWE star Vader dead at age 63

Leon White, better known to fans as Vader, became a dominant force throughout his wrestling career.
Credit: Twitter
Leon White, also known as WWE superstar Vader, died Monday, according to his family.

World Wrestling Entertainment star Leon White, better known as Vader, died Monday night at the age of 63.

On Twitter, White's son confirmed news of his father's passing.

"It is with a heavy heart to inform everyone that my father, Leon White, passed away on Monday night," he wrote. "Around a month ago my father was diagnosed with a severe case of Pneumonia. He fought extremely hard and clinically was making progress. Unfortunately, on Monday night his heart had enough and it was his time."

According to WWE, Vader got his start in wrestling in the mid-1980s after retiring from the NFL due to injury.

His career spanned the American Wrestling Association, New Japan Pro Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling (where he became a three-time WCW World Champion) and then joined the WWE roster in 1996.

Vader even took on a recurring guest role on the hit-TV show Boy Meets World.

TMZ reported that Vader had been battling congestive heart failure for two years.

Current and former WWE superstars shared their condolences on social media.

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