Remembering The British Bulldog On Anniversary Of His Death

05/18/2017 05:00 pm EDT

Today marks a very sad anniversary in the WWE.

Fifteen years ago on 18 May 2002, Davey Boy Smith died after suffering a heart attack while on vacation in Invermere, British Columbia with his girlfriend, Andrea Redding.

An autopsy revealed that past steroid use likely played a part in his death, but no certain reason was found. Like many wrestling deaths of his time, stress, serious injuries, and drug abuse took its toll on Smith's body.

Davey Boy Smith was one of the most iconic wrestlers of the 80s and 90s. Never a World Champion, The Bulldog won titles within the WWF in three decades and headlined multiple pay-per-views in the WWF and WCW. Smith headlined one of the most memorable matches in WWE history when he defeated brother-in-law, Bret Hart, for the WWF Intercontinental Championship in the main event of SummerSlam 1992 at London's original Wembley Stadium.

Smith was also fittingly the inaugural and longest reigning WWF European Champion. Before becoming a singles star, Davey Boy was also one half of the legendary British Bulldogs tag team with partner, Dynamite Kid.

Besides being a wrestler, Smith was also a beloved father of two children, one who would eventually become a WWE Superstar himself. Today on Twitter, Davey Boy's children took to Twitter to pay touching tributes to their father as did his niece, SmackDown Live star, Natalya.

Despite his legendary career, The British Bulldog is still not in the WWE Hall of Fame.

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