Natalya Neidhart Posts Touching Tribute to Deceased Father Jim ‘The Anvil’ Neidhart

WWE Superstar Natalya Neidhart released a statement on Monday afternoon regarding the passing of her father, Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart.

“I can’t put into words how hard it is going to be for myself and our family to have to say goodbye to my dad,” Neidhart said. “He meant the world to us, and nothing will ever replace the special times we shared together as a family. My dad was always a fighter and an incredibly special person.”

“There was no one like him!” she continued, posting a throwback photo of Jim with his brother-in-law Owen Hart. “I’m just gonna miss him so much. We are going to hold all of the moments we had with him clost to our hearts forever and never let them go. I promise to keep your memory alive. We love you so much, Daddy!”

Jim was just one of many family members and fellow wrestlers to pay tribute to the former WWF Tag Team Champion, who passed away at the age of 63 early Monday morning.

TMZ reported later in the day that the cause of death was by a fall Neidhart suffered while at his home in Florida, leading to seizures and convulsions.

Billed at 6-foot-2, 281 pounds, he began his wrestling career in 1978 where he trained under Stu Hart and wrestled in the Canadian wrestling promotion, Stampede Wrestling. He appeared in numerous territories including Georgia Championship Wrestling, Mid-South Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling, Continental Wrestling Association and Championship Wrestling from Florida before signing with the WWF in January 1985.

In the same year Jim debuted as a singles wrestler he married the Ellie Hart, daughter of Stu Hart and sister of Bret and Owen Hart. He first began tag teaming with Bret as the legendary Hart Foundation duo at WrestleMania 2, and would go on to hold the WWF Tag Team Championships twice.

After multiple stints in WWF and WCW, he retired from full-time wrestling in 1998. He has since made numerous appearances for the WWE, most recently as a featured cast member of the reality show Total Divas alongside Neidhart and her husband T.J. Wilson (former WWE wrestler Tyson Kidd).

Shortly after the news broke Bret posted a photo of himself and Jim together in the original incarnation of the Hart Foundation, holding the WWF World Tag Team Championship titles.

“Stunned and saddened,” the former WWF Champion wrote. “I just don’t have the words right now.”