A wrestling fan who went missing after traveling to Las Vegas to attend WrestleMania 42 earlier this month has been found dead.
Marc Izard died on April 18, his sister Kelly revealed via Facebook on Tuesday, April 28. He was 43.
“He passed away quickly from natural causes related to his underlying medical conditions,” Kelly wrote. “Although we are obviously devestated [sic] at our loss, we are at some comfort knowing he passed doing what he loved so much.”
The Clark County coroner’s office confirmed the death to the Las Vegas Review-Journal on Monday, April 27, saying the cause and manner are still pending.
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Izard’s body was found in the 1730 block of Las Vegas Boulevard South, roughly a half mile from The Strat Hotel and Casino.
According to a social media post, Izard was last seen leaving WWE SmackDown at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena while using a walking stick on April 17.
Izard, a longtime pro wrestling fan, had traveled from his home in the U.K. to attend WrestleMania weekend. WrestleMania took place on April 18 and 19 at Allegiant Stadium.
“We are working on bringing his body home to say a proper goodbye, and we will of course make sure his absoulete [sic] love of wrestling is honoured at his funeral,” his sister wrote. “We want to say a masisve [sic] thank you to everyone that knew marc both personally, and his wider wrestling family for their huge help and support over the last week in helping us trying to find him.”
A GoFundMe organized in Izard’s honor said his life was “defined by his passion for the ring.”
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“Whether it was supporting local independent promotions or traveling for the ‘Grandest Stage of Them All,’ Marc lived for the energy, the stories, and the idols he met along the way,” the page reads.
The GoFundMe features photos of Izard posing with pro wrestling legends from over the years, including John Cena, The Undertaker and Hulk Hogan.
“Marc passed away far from home,” the fundraiser explains. “As a family, our priority is to bring him back so we can give him the send-off he deserves, surrounded by the people who loved him. However, the costs associated with international repatriation and funeral arrangements are overwhelming. We are reaching out to the wrestling community — the ‘Wrestling Family’ that Marc loved so much — and to anyone who knew him, to help us bring him home.”
The GoFundMe had raised over $16,000 at the time of this story’s publication.
