10 WCW Stars Who Died Too Young 2. Eddie Gilbert (1961 - 1995)

On 18 February 1995, Eddie Gilbert died of a heart attack in Puerto Rico. His father Tommy, a former pro himself, attributed his son's death to a car accident he had been involved in over a decade earlier. In truth, Gilbert's frequent trips to the pharmacy probably played a much greater role in his untimely demise.

In an era where unrealistic physiques were all the rage, Gilbert's small stature meant he struggled to hit the heights his talent deserved. Like many before him, the diminutive grappler looked to gain an artificial advantage. During federal trials investigating steroid abuse in the industry, it emerged that Gilbert was a regular customer of prominent juice-dealer Dr. George Zahorian; the medic was subsequently jailed for widespread narcotic distribution.

Despite the boost, Gilbert never progressed beyond the mid-card. Though he enjoyed a feud with Ric Flair and Barry Windham, his stint with WCW was brief. He was at least able to leave a small mark in the company by appearing in their very first video game on the NES.

Gilbert's death highlighted that, even in 1995, wrestlers dying young due to rife substance abuse was a major problem. After being forced to write more then half a dozen tributes within the last half-decade, prominent wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer lamented the growing trend.

"I never thought I'd become an obituary writer", he mused. "But that's what I'm becoming most known for."

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