Kevin Nash Shares Heartfelt Message for "Mean" Gene Okerlund

The passing of "Mean" Gene Okerlund has summoned waves of love and support from social media. Soon after the news of the legendary WWE personality's death made the rounds, Kevin Nash posted a thoughtful message for his old friend.

"Last time I was with Gene. We were at a BTW show in Long Island. Late in November. He was my friend and has been for 26 years. I've never heard a person say anything negative about him. In our industry that's unheard of. A true professional but more important a true gentleman. You will never be forgotten and sure as f—k never replaced. Goodbye my friend and thank you for making my life a better one once I met you," Nash wrote.

Okerlund and Nash logged most of their hours together in WCW in the mid-1990s. Nash, of course, was one of the figureheads of the NWO, which meant he shared plenty of camera time with Okerlund, the company's top interviewer.

Like many other wrestling legends, Nash's post was sincere and depicted Okerlund as one of the kindest men in the industry. Other mammoth names from the world of professional wrestling like Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin, and Ric Flair each made a point to send along a heartfelt message for the recently departed WWE Hall of Famer.

Okerlund was 76, and is survived by his wife and two children. Okerlund's cause of death has yet to be released.

WWE put out the following statement to break the news:

"WWE is saddened to learn that WWE Hall of Famer Gene Okerlund, the most recognizable interviewer in sports-entertainment history, has passed away at age 76.

'Mean Gene,' as he was named by fellow Minnesotan, Jesse 'The Body' Ventura, first came to prominence as an interviewer in the American Wrestling Association. In 1984, Okerlund made the move to WWE where he became as recognizable as the Superstars he asked the tough questions to, including 'Macho Man' Randy Savage, The Ultimate Warrior and, perhaps Okerlund's greatest guest, Hulk Hogan. Countless Hulkster interviews included the indelible phrase, 'Well you know something 'Mean' Gene!'

As the respected and reliable man behind the microphone in WWE, Okerlund branched out from interviewing and provided ringside commentary and hosted several shows, including All-American Wrestling, Tuesday Night Titans, Wrestling Challenge and Prime Time Wrestling.

Announcing wasn't all that Okerlund could do with a microphone, as he performed the National Anthem at the first WrestleMania in 1985. Later that year, Okerlund would sing 'Tutti Frutti' on WWE's The Wrestling Album.

In 1993, Okerlund joined WCW where he continued to interview many of the legends he had worked with in the AWA and WWE, as well as WCW stalwarts like Sting, Diamond Dallas Page, Goldberg and others.

Okerlund returned to WWE in 2001 to call the Gimmick Battle Royal at WrestleMania 17 along with Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan and continued to appear on WWE television programming, including as a cast member on WWE Network's Legends' House.

WWE extends its condolences to Okerlund's family, friends and fans."