Wrestler Roddy Piper dead at 61

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Saturday, August 1, 2015
Wrestler Roddy Piper attends the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania press conference at the Hard Rock Cafe, Tuesday, March 31, 2009, in New York.
AP

Wrestler Roddy Piper has died, according to Variety. He was 61.

Piper died from cardiac arrest in his sleep at his Los Angeles home on Friday. The wrestler had been diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma in 2006, but said last November that he was cancer-free.

Piper -- born Roderick George Toombs -- was a WWE icon in the 1980's, and faced off against challengers like Hulk Hogan and Mr. T. The Canadian-born wrestler was admitted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005, and made several appearances in WWE events in recent years.

A statement was released by Piper's family on the wrestler's Facebook page on Friday.

Piper is survived by his wife Kitty and four children. His son, Colt, took to Twitter to express his grief.

Other WWE wrestlers and personalities expressed their condolences, as well.

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