18. The Renegade – Age 33
In 1995, indie wrestler Rick Wilson (aka the Renegade) found himself in a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” position, taking on an impossible role to fill which eventually contributed to his death. Hulk Hogan’s run in WCW featured the promotion recreating several of his famous WWF programs. One Hogan was eager to revisit was his WrestleMania VI showdown with the Ultimate Warrior. When Hogan and WCW teased the Ultimate Warrior was coming to the promotion, fans were disappointed when a Warrior look-alike known as the Renegade showed up instead. The Renegade was indie star Rick Wilson who reluctantly agreed to play the Renegade, WCW’s poor-man’s version of the Ultimate Warrior. WCW pushed the Renegade until the real Warrior denounced him as a fraud. The Renegade was released in 1998 and his life quickly spiraled out of control as he sank into
depression following his WCW release. On February 23, 1999, Wilson took his own life with a gunshot to the head.
