Sara Lee (wrestler)
Sara Lee | |
---|---|
![]() Lee in 2015 | |
Birth name | Sara Ann Lee |
Born | Saginaw, Michigan, U.S[1] | June 7, 1992
Died | October 5, 2022[1] San Antonio, Texas, U.S | (aged 30)
Cause of death | Suicide by combined drug intoxication |
Alma mater | Delta College |
Spouse(s) | |
Children | 3 |
Professional wrestling career | |
Ring name(s) | |
Billed height | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)[4] |
Billed weight | 125 lb (57 kg)[4] |
Billed from | Hope, Michigan[4] |
Trained by |
|
Debut | August 25, 2015[2] |
Retired | September 30, 2016 |
Sara Ann Lee (June 7, 1992 – October 5, 2022) was an American television personality and professional wrestler, best known for her time in WWE. In 2015, she was the female winner of the sixth season of the WWE competition Tough Enough.
Early life
[edit]Sara Ann Lee was born on June 7, 1992, in Saginaw, Michigan, and raised in Hope Township, Michigan.[4][6] She spent time in competitive powerlifting. She graduated from Meridian High School in 2010, and went on to study diagnostic medical sonography at Delta College in Bay City, Michigan.[4][7][6][8]
Professional wrestling career
[edit]In June 2015, Lee was one of the 13 finalists for the sixth season of the WWE competition Tough Enough.[7] After being at risk of elimination five times throughout the course of the competition,[9][10][11] on August 25, Lee was chosen by fan vote as one of the winners, along with Josh Bredl, earning a $250,000 one-year contract with WWE. During the final, Lee adopted the ring name Hope and lost a singles match to Alicia Fox.[2][12]
In September, Lee was assigned to WWE's developmental territory NXT, based at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, to begin training.[13][6] Returning to her real name, Lee made her first appearance for NXT at a live event on January 16, 2016, when she delivered a heel promo.[14] She made her in-ring debut at the January 30 live event during a six-woman tag team match, which also involved fellow Tough Enough competitor Mandy Rose.[3] On September 30, 2016, Lee was released from her WWE contract.[15]
Personal life
[edit]Lee married former WWE wrestler Wesley Blake on December 30, 2017.[15] They had three children.[16]
Death
[edit]Lee died on October 5, 2022, aged 30.[16][17][18] In May 2023, it was deemed by the Bexar County, Texas coroner that she had committed suicide via a lethal overdose of alcohol and sleeping pills.[19]
Championships and accomplishments
[edit]- WWE
- Tough Enough VI – with Josh Bredl
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "Obituary for Sara Weston at Hall-Kokotovich Funeral Home". hall-kokotovichfuneralhome.com. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
- ^ a b c "WWE TOUGH ENOUGH RECAP, AUGUST 25, 2015: AND THE WINNERS ARE..." WWE. August 25, 2015. Retrieved August 25, 2015.
- ^ a b Kiger, John (January 30, 2016). "1/30 T RESULTS FROM VENICE, FL". PWInsider. Retrieved January 31, 2016.
- ^ a b c d e "Tough Enough – Sara Lee". WWE Tough Enough. Retrieved January 31, 2016.
- ^ a b c "MEET THE COMPETITORS AND CAST OF WWE TOUGH ENOUGH". WWE Tough Enough. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
- ^ a b c d "Tough Enough competitors join new class of recruits at the WWE Performance Center". WWE. October 28, 2015. Retrieved January 31, 2016.
- ^ a b "MEET WWE TOUGH ENOUGH'S 13 FINALISTS". WWE Tough Enough. Retrieved January 31, 2016.
- ^ Henry, Lindsay (August 20, 2015). "Sara Lee a finalist to win professional wrestling contract on 'WWE Tough Enough'". Midland Daily News. Retrieved January 31, 2016.
- ^ Nida, Kenneth (July 1, 2015). "WWE TOUGH ENOUGH EPISODE 2 RESULTS AND RECAP". F4WOnline. Retrieved January 31, 2016.
- ^ Nida, Kenneth (July 7, 2015). "WWE TOUGH ENOUGH EPISODE 3 (JULY 7) RESULTS & RECAP". F4WOnline. Retrieved January 30, 2016.
- ^ Nida, Kenneth (July 14, 2015). "WWE TOUGH ENOUGH EPISODE 4 (JULY 14) RESULTS & RECAP". F4WOnline. Retrieved January 31, 2016.
- ^ Sapp, Sean Ross (August 25, 2015). "WWE Tough Enough Finale Recap: Winners Announced, Cesaro And Alicia Fox Work Matches With Cast". Wrestling Inc. Retrieved January 31, 2016.
- ^ "Sara Lee: Tough Enough's greatest underdog story". WWE Tough Enough. August 28, 2015. Retrieved January 31, 2016.
- ^ Middleton, Marc (January 16, 2016). "Photos: Tough Enough Winner Sara Lee Makes WWE NXT Live Event Debut, Cuts Heel Promo". Wrestling Inc. Retrieved January 31, 2016.
- ^ a b Johnson, Mike (October 2, 2016). "TOUGH ENOUGH STAR RELEASED BY WWE". PWInsider. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
- ^ a b "Sara Lee, former WWE 'Tough Enough' winner, dies at 30". NBC News. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
- ^ "Sara Lee, former WWE wrestler and "Tough Enough" winner, dies at age 30". CBS News. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
- ^ Davis, Paul (October 5, 2022). "WWE Tough Enough winner Sara Lee has passed away". Wrestling News. Retrieved October 5, 2022.
- ^ WWE's Sara Lee Died By Suicide
External links
[edit]- Sara Lee on X
- Sara Lee on Instagram
- Sara Lee's profile at Cagematch.net
- 1992 births
- 2022 deaths
- 2022 suicides
- Drug-related suicides in Texas
- Tough Enough winners
- American female professional wrestlers
- Professional wrestlers from Michigan
- 21st-century American women
- 21st-century female professional wrestlers
- Sportspeople from Saginaw, Michigan
- Alcohol-related deaths in Texas
- 21st-century American sportswomen