Lex Luger Has Been Through a Lot Since His Days of Professional Wrestling
Updated Dec. 21 2020, 8:28 p.m. ET
When it comes to professional wrestling, there are certain WWE legends that paved the way for current wrestling superstars like John Cena. One of those legends is the great Lex Luger aka Lawrence Wendell Pfohl.
The WWE released a “First Look” of their new WWE Icons show on their YouTube channel. In the first look, we see a list that is chock full of star power from past WWE stars, including Lex Luger. Lex began his career in professional wrestling in 1985 and from there, he was part of the WWF, WCW, and WWE. Over the course of his career, he has also faced many troubles — including legal issues and medical problems. So, what has happened to Luger since his time as a professional wrestler?
Lex Luger was witness to the overdose of his girlfriend, Elizabeth Hulette.
On April 19, 2003, a domestic disturbance call was made from Lex Luger’s townhouse in Marietta, Ga. Cobb County police arrived on the scene and found that Lex Luger’s girlfriend, Elizabeth Hulette, had suffered a bruise above her left eye and a contusion under it, a swollen right eye, a bump on her head, and a split lip.
According to the police report, Elizabeth said their dog caused the marks by playing too roughly. However, officers did not buy her story and ended up arresting Luger for misdemeanor battery. He was later released on a $2,500 bond.
On May 1, 2003, Elizabeth died in the townhouse she shared with Luger. According to Luger, Elizabeth drank two glasses of vodka, took medication for back pain, sat on the couch, and began choking on food. While Luger claims he tried to help her, she was pronounced D.O.A. at the hospital.
Elizabeth’s death was ruled an overdose by the Cobb County Medical Examiner.
Immediately following Elizabeth’s death, Cobb County authorities reported finding 1,700 pills, leading to 14 drug possession counts against Luger, 13 of which were felonies. The substances warranting felony charges included Xanax, OxyContin, anabolic steroids, testosterone, hydrocodone, and several others.
Luger was arrested but released the following day on $25,000 bail. He later pleaded guilty to the charges and was given a $1,000 fine, sentenced to five years probation, and required to submit to periodic drug testing. According to the autopsy report from the Cobb County Medical Examiner, Elizabeth died from a lethal combination of alcohol and prescription drugs. The coroner determined that her death was an accident resulting from “acute toxicity-multiple drugs.”
Luger suffered from a nerve impingement that led to temporary paralysis.
On Oct. 19, 2007, Luger was on a flight to San Francisco when he began having difficulty moving his neck. While trying to adjust his neck, it seemed to only make things worse. Luger suffered a nerve impingement in his neck that led to temporary paralysis. He underwent an intravenous antibiotic treatment and was expected to make a full recovery.
After three years of rehabilitation and work on his body, Luger expressed that his physical self was improving. “I've never been stronger or richer in spirit or as a man as I am right now," he told The Atlanta Journal in 2010.
Luger currently lives in Buffalo, N.Y., working with youth organizations.
In 2020, Luger is enjoying a simple life in Buffalo, N.Y., living with his mother. He spends most of his free time helping others at local schools and churches, sharing his experiences and hoping others can learn from them too.
“One of the things I do is try to get a positive message out there in the local schools and tell my story,” he told WWE.com. “I also do a lot of faith-based speaking, sharing my story and testimony, to help show what God has done in my life and what he can do in others’ lives.”
