A British wrestling fan who disappeared during Wrestlemania weekend in Las Vegas was found dead in a motel room off the city’s famous strip.
Marc Izard, 43, was in Sin City for the WWE’s showcase event earlier this month but never made it back to the UK, sparking fears from his family.
His sister Kelly Hall has now revealed that he died from ‘natural causes related to his underlying medical conditions’, with his loved ones starting a GoFundMe page in a bid to return his body to the UK.
His official cause of death is still pending, but a coroner’s report confirmed that he was found dead at the Oasis Motel, five miles north of T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The wrestling superfan had attended a book signing for Canadian wrestler Natalya ‘Nattie’ Neidhart at the Horseshoe Las Vegas on April 16, before making his way to ‘Smackdown’ at the T-Mobile Arena on April 17.
The latter WWE promotion was Izard’s last known public sighting, and it is believed he did not make it to Allegiant Stadium for the main Wrestlemania events on April 18 and 19.
Marc Izard, 43 – pictured with Hulk Hogan – died in Las Vegas while attending Wrestlemania
The British wrestling superfan was found dead in the Oasis Motel north of the Vegas strip
A missing person poster was shared on social media in the immediate aftermath of Izard going missing, with various names from the world of WWE sharing it.
The flyer noted, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, that Izard used a walking stick to help him get around.
‘On Saturday, April 18th, our lives changed forever,’ his family wrote on the recently-launched GoFundMe page, which has already passed through £10,000 ($13,500) in donations.
‘Our beloved brother, Marc Izard, passed away in Las Vegas while doing what he loved most – attending WWE WrestleMania weekend.
Marc wasn’t just a spectator; he was a staple of the wrestling community. From his childhood days to his travels across the globe, Marc’s life was defined by his passion for the ring.
Izard’s family have started a GoFundMe page in a bid to get his body repatriated to the UK
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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 Heart of a Superfan Marc spent his life following the sport that inspired him. He was a familiar face to many in the indie scene and a dedicated WWE fan who cherished every moment spent ringside. Tragically, after attending Friday Night SmackDown, Marc’s journey came to an unexpected end.’
The page goes on to detail the ‘overwhelming’ costs of trying to repatriate Izard’s body, urging his friends and ‘anyone who knew him’ to ‘help us bring him home’.
The family goes on to clarify that any additional funds would be donated to a series of charities that Izard supported during his life.
Wrestler Neidhart, whose book signing Izard attending shortly before his death, also paid tribute to the superfan on her social media page.
Izard, pictured shaking hands with the Undertaker, was well-known among WWE superfans
‘Hearing about the passing of someone from our wrestling family, Marc Izard, is heartbreaking,” she wrote. ‘Wrestling brings people together in such a special way, and moments like this remind us how precious life truly is.
‘My thoughts are with Marc’s family, friends, and everyone who loved him.’
Neidhart also contributed the top donation to Izard’s donation site, giving £258 ($350).
On the GoFundMe page, his family shared a series of photos of him with wrestling icons including Hulk Hogan, the Undertaker and John Cena.
