24 Wrestlers Who Died In 2020
16. Hana Kimura (23 May)
Hana Kimura, a performer with Japanese promotion Stardom and a cast member of Netflix show Terrace House, passed away on 23 May 2020, at the age of 22 years old.
She had taken her own life.
Kimura, born 3 September 1997 in Yokohama, Japan, was the the only child of retired wrestler Kyoko Kimura. She was soon following in her mother's footsteps, claiming her first championship at the age of just 8 - albeit DDT's light-hearted Ironman Heavymetalweight strap.
After graduating from Wrestle-1's training academy, Kimura made her professional debut at the age of 18, opposite classmate Reika Saiki. For the next three years, she split her time between Keiji Mutoh's group and World Wonder Ring Stardom, memorably defeating her mother during the latter's retirement show in 2017.
In March 2019, Kimura became a permanent fixture for Stardom, where she twice won the Artist of Stardom Championship and the Goddess of Stardom Championship.
In September 2019, Kimura's celebrity skyrocketed after appearing on Japanese reality show Terrace House. Stardom intended to make her the promotion's biggest name, beginning with a Tokyo Dome curtain raiser ahead of Wrestle Kingdom this past January.
The wrestling world was united in its grief after news of Hana's passing emerged, instigating a widespread condemnation on the nature of online bullying. In a touching eulogy to her close friend, Io Shirai concluded, "it is so important that we all love and treat each other with respect." In her own tribute, Ronda Rousey echoed those sentiments: "Be the kindness you wish you received instead of malice and neglect you’re trying to pay back."