Triple H, Brandi Rhodes Pay Tribute To Late WWE Star Jay Briscoe After Fatal Car Accident
By Favour Adegoke on January 18, 2023 at 10:15 AM EST
Two-time Ring of Honor World Champion Jay Briscoe, real name Jamin Pugh, has died at the age of 38. The wrestler lost his life following a car accident earlier in the week in Laurel, Delaware.
All Elite Wrestling (AEW) founder Tony Khan announced the demise of the wrestling legend on Twitter. Friends and colleagues have since penned condolence messages in honor of the late star.
Jay, who made his wrestling debut for Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW) alongside brother Mark Briscoe, is survived by his wife and four children.
Read below for more details.
'He Was A Star'
According to People, Jay lost his life in a car accident at the age of 38. The publication noted a tweet from All Elite Wrestling (AEW) founder Tony Khan announcing the demise of the wrestling legend.
"Sadly, Jamin Pugh has passed away. Known to fans as Jay Briscoe, he was a star in ROH for over 20 years, from the first show until today," the Ring of Honor owner penned.
Also in his post, Khan lauded the late pro wrestler and his brother Mark for "dominating ROH" as "champions to this day." He then asserted that he and his company would fully "support" Briscoe's family through this challenging period.
A follow-up tweet from Dave Meltzer, a wrestling journalist, detailed more information about the accident that killed Briscoe.
"Tony Khan tweeted the death of Jay Briscoe in an auto accident. Two people in car died in an accident at 5:30 p.m. in Laurel, Maryland. Just horribly tragic news," Meltzer said before later making a change, "Correction on the location of the Jay Briscoe accident, it was Laurel, Delaware, not Maryland."
Friends And Colleagues Mourn Jay Briscoe's Death
Jay's wrestling colleagues, both male and female, have mourned his death on social media.
"I'm deeply saddened to hear of the loss of Jay Briscoe. He was always the kindest to me during my time in ROH. My heart goes out to the entire family," read a post from former Chief Brand Officer of AEW, Brandi Rhodes.
An incredible performer who created a deep connection with wrestling fans across the globe. My condolences to the family and friends of Jay Briscoe.
— Triple H (@TripleH) January 18, 2023
Retired professional wrestler and chief content officer for WWE, Triple H also penned a touching note to the family and friends of Briscoe.
He said, "An incredible performer who created a deep connection with wrestling fans across the globe. My condolences to the family and friends of Jay Briscoe."
Sami Zayn also reflected on his relationship with the demised star and his brother, touching on their great times together in the ring.
The WWE star noted, per People, "I don't have the words right now to properly convey my sorrow. I love Jay & Mark Briscoe. I'm very lucky to have shared the ring & shared so many laughs with Jay Briscoe, and I'm so sad to know neither will happen again. RIP my friend."
Schools Shut Down For A Day In Honor Of Jay Briscoe
In the meantime, it is unclear if any of Jay's family members were with him in the car at the time of the accident, as the family has not yet revealed further details.
To mourn Jay's demise, the school district where his daughters have their education closed for a day.
"Due to an unthinkable tragedy in our community this evening, The Laurel School District will be closed for tomorrow, Wednesday, January 18, 2023. Schools will reopen on Thursday. Please keep the Pugh Family in your thoughts and prayers," read an announcement from the district, per Wrestling News.
Jay Briscoe Is Survived By His Wife And Four Kids
The wrestler rarely shared information about his family on social media and kept his personal life private. In early 2022, he did post a picture of his wife and kids.
The said picture was taken during Easter and featured his wife and his three kids at the time, a son and two daughters. Also in the image were the wrestler's brother, Mark, and his own kids.
Happy Easter!!!🐣 pic.twitter.com/HVT5g9Z5TX
— DEM BOYS (@jaybriscoe84) April 17, 2022
Additionally, Jay's Twitter images show that he welcomed a boy named Murphy in June 2022.
"We have a baby, folks!!! Murphy' Big Murph' Pugh came a month and a half early, but he's getting stronger every day," he wrote. "Appreciate the continued prayers and positivity."
Our condolences are with the family of the WWE icon.