Tim White, a longtime referee for the WWE, has died. He was 68. White began his career in the wrestling world as Andre the Giant’s assistant and agent during the 1980s.
WWE confirmed White’s death in a statement. No cause of death was announced. “WWE extends its condolences to White’s family, friends, and fans,” the organization’s statement.
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White was already working with Andre the Giant when he made his WWE debut as a referee in 1985. He worked his way up the ladder to join major matches, including the famous “Hell in a Cell” match between Undertaker and Mankind at King of the Ring in 1998, notes Wrestling Inc. White became WWE’s top choice for main event referee until he suffered a shoulder injury at Judgement Day 2002 during a match between Chris Jericho and Triple H. After White re-injured his shoulder during a 2004 WrestleMania XX match between Jericho and Christian, he retired as a full-time referee.
“The shoulder injuries started back at the 2002 Judgment Day pay-per-view, during the Jericho vs. Triple H ‘Hell in a Cell’ match,” White told SportsKeedaย in 2016 of his injuries. “I got knocked onto the cage and injured it as a result. I also injured it again at the 2004 Wrestlemania. It was re-injured during the 3-count.”
Although White no longer appeared on camera, he remained with WWE as a backstage official and talent agent. His final on-camera appearance came during the WWE Hidden Treasures episode on Andre the Giant. He was one of Andre the Giant’s closest friends and worked around the world with him. White was also interviewed for HBO’s 2018 documentary on Andre the Giant.
In his SportsKeeda interview, White said he had no regrets about his career. “I have no regrets at all. I’ve done a lot in my career,” he said. “As you said, The Lunchtime Suicideย angle and being an assistant for Andre. I don’t think I could’ve asked for a better job. I really do miss Andre. We had so many good times together.”
Since White’s death was announced, members of the wrestling community have shared their condolences with his family. “No not Tim White,” Paige tweeted. “Heart of gold. Always the nicest person in any room he was in. I’ll miss his Andre the Giant stories and hugs. Lucky to have known such a great human. RIP Tim.”
