Joanie Laurer Chyna
Former WWE wrestler Joanie "Chyna" Laurer died from drug overdose April 20, 2016. Above, she is pictured July 22, 2007. Getty Images

Former WWE star Chyna died from a possible overdose, TMZ reported Wednesday. She was 45 years old at the time of her death.

Chyna, whose real name is Joanie Laurer, had not been seen or heard from for a few days when police responded to call from her Redondo Beach, California, apartment. It was a friend who checked on her, finding the former wrestler unresponsive in the bedroom of her home.

Foul play is not suspected in Chyna’s death. Police are investigating her death as a “possible overdose” since Chyna has a history of drug abuse. Though prescription medication was found in the home, police did not find illegal narcotics, a source told TMZ. Some fans will remember she appeared on “Celebrity Rehab” in 2008 to battle her substance addiction.

Though death hoaxes are common in the celebrity realm, her death was confirmed by her official Twitter account through her manager, Anthony Anzaldo. “It is with deep sadness to inform you today that we lost a true icon, a real life superhero. Joan Laurer aka Chyna, the 9th wonder of the world has passed away,” he wrote. “She will live forever in the memories of her millions of fans and all of us that loved her.” The same message was shared on her official Facebook page.

Hashtags like #RIPChyna and the phrase “former WWE” soon became top-trending Twitter topics. Dozens of celebrities flocked to Twitter to mourn the wrester’s untimely death. WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon tweeted about the sad news, writing, "She was truly a pioneer in our industry and she will be missed #RIPChyna."

The WWE saluted her with a blog post. “A physically striking and talented performer, Chyna was a true sports-entertainment pioneer,” WWE wrote in part of the message.

Chyna was one of the most famous female wrestlers to step into the WWE ring, rising to fame in 1997. She solidified herself as WWE royalty when she joined up with Triple H, becoming original member of D-Generation X.

After wrestling, she posed for Playboy and ultimately transitioned to the porn industry. She made six adult movies from 2004 to 2013.

Follow me on Twitter @mariamzzarella

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