Stardom Wrestling confirmed on Friday that Hana Kimura had died at the age of 22. The professional wrestler and cast member of Netflix’s Terrace House: Tokyo spent fewer than 10 years in the ring following her training, but she still made an impact on her peers. One example is Kelly Klein, who posted a video showcasing Kimura’s personality.
Klein’s brief clip showed Kimura dancing and singing in front of a Ring of Honor banner. She was proclaiming that “I got the belt” while also talking about having a pineapple. Kimura then danced out of frame while singing “I got the belt.” Klein used her video to showcase the joy that the late wrestler brought to her peers during their time away from the ring.
Videos by PopCulture.com
I tried to hold my laughter but once she said “I’m so muscle”, I couldn’t hold in the giggle.
That happened a lot around Hana. #HanaKimura pic.twitter.com/LMHZJ5WyZj
— Kelly Klein (@RealKellyKlein) May 23, 2020
“[I] wasn’t familiar with her work, but when you see this. How can you not fall in love with her. Such a beautiful bubbly soul. Must have been a joy being around Hana,” one wrestling fan wrote on Twitter. Several others agreed and commented about how they were largely unfamiliar with Kimura’s career but appreciated her impact on others.
Following Kimura’s death, several of her peers posted tributes on social media. Many had stories about spending time with the 22-year-old while others had photos and videos. They used these as examples while explaining that Kimura was an amazing person.
Killer Kelly, who performs on the Westside Xtreme Wrestling promotion, also shared a photo from her brief interactions with Kimura. She posted an image that showed the late wrestler putting makeup on a peer. Kelly also said that Kimura’s smile and happiness “were contagious” and that people “should be better.”
The reason for this comment is a series of alarming tweets prior to Kimura’s death. The longtime wrestler dealt with cyberbullying on a very regular basis. She wrote that she receives “100 frank opinions” every day. She also said that she couldn’t deny that she was hurt.
Kimura was one of many dealing with bullies on social media, and her peers are very frustrated by this fact. Several posted on Twitter after her death and proclaimed that users need to “be kind” to each other. They also strongly expressed the opinion that some people need to think before hitting “send.”
