TMZ Confirms Sean O’Haire Substance Abuse Issues

UPDATE x 4: TMZ has confirmed our report that former WCW and WWE wrestler Sean O’Haire had issues with subtance abuse, issues he tried to get help for. The site reports that O’Haire attended WWE sponsored rehab six-times over the last six-years, including a stint earlier this year. They also note that after the most recent stint in rehab, WWE made multiple attempts to stay in touch and check in with O’Haire, but TMZ describes O’Haire as “M.I.A.”.

O’Haire was found dead in his South Carolina home on Tuesday. Police has determined that he committed suicide as they found him with a rope around his neck, which had been tied to his bedpost.

The following is the full article from TMZ.com:

Former wrestler Sean O’Haire had a nasty alcohol addiction he couldn’t kick … even though the WWE went to lengths to help him get clean — including providing him years of treatment.

Sources close to the situation tell us O’Haire went to WWE-sponsored rehab six times in the past 6 years … including once earlier this year. After he left, we’re told the wrestling company made multiple attempts to get in touch with O’Haire — but he was M.I.A.

As we previously reported … local police say O’Haire committed suicide. He was found in his bedroom with a red rope tied around his neck and connected to the bedpost.

UPDATE x 3: TMZ.com reports that O’Haire was found in his bedroom, beside his bed, with a rope tied around his neck and connected to the bedpost. We exclusively reported last night that O’Haire had been very depressed as of late and had been battling substance abuse issues.

UPDATE x 2: WWE issued the following statement:

WWE extends its condolences to Sean Christopher Haire’s family, friends and fans on his passing. Haire performed under the name “Sean O’Haire,” and was under contract with WWE from 2001-2004.

UPDATE: As noted earlier, Sean O’Haire has passed away. Earlier tonight, we spoke to someone who was very close to Sean and he says O’Haire had been suffering from depression and substance abuse issues in recent years. Of course, we don’t want to speculate at this time and will wait until the autopsy results are in. The close friend says an autopsy is scheduled for today or tomorrow but the results likely won’t be back for several weeks.

O’Haire was just forty-three years old. An obituary for O’Haire notes that he was found in his Spartanburg, South Carolina home on Monday.

O’Haire was best known for his team-ups with Mark Jindrak and Chuck Palumbo in WCW (and WWE in Palumbo’s case). He won the WCW World Tag Team Titles three times, twice with Jindrak and once with Palumbo. He lost some steam in WWE after the Invasion storyline and had been primed to return with a new, dark preacher-esque gimmick in 2003, but it was quickly abandoned. He was released from his WWE contract on April 3, 2004 after having been sent to OVW in February.

According to Wikipedia, O’Haire was arrested in 2006 for allegedly assaulting a woman at “Club Hypnotic” in June 2004, but he was found not guilty after the girl confessed that the allegations were not true. He was also involved in a fight in Hilton Head on March 30, 2007, in which he sustained fractures to his face and skull, including his orbital bone. As the result of the fight, the vision in his left eye was impaired. Although O’Haire claimed that he was going to the aid of a friend, witnesses asserted that O’Haire tried to instigate a fight with his alleged assailant, Juan Brantley. Brantley had filed a complaint with police on March 17, in which he stated that O’Haire had attempted to start a fight with him at another bar.

On September 9, 2009, O’Haire was arrested in Georgia for allegedly choking out his girlfriend. He was charged with battery and criminal trespassing before being released on $4600 bail, but the charges were later dropped and O’Haire was found not guilty. On November 23, 2011, O’Haire was again arrested in Georgia and charged with battery. He was later released on $1850 bail.

After a career in pro wrestling, kickboxing, MMA and acting didn’t pan out the way he had hoped, O’Haire opened a barbershop in Hilton Head, South Carolina. It was during this time that he fell into deep depression according to our source. O’Haire also had one son named Theodore.

WCW alum Scotty Riggs posted the following on Twitter, confirming the news of Sean’s passing:

Just got a message that former wrestler Sean O’ Haire has passed away. #RIPSeanOHaire

— RIGGS (@realscottyriggs) September 10, 2014

On behalf of everyone here on the website, our condolences to the family, friends and fans of Mr. O’Haire.

ORIGINAL: Former WWE and WCW Superstar Sean O’Haire (real name Sean Haire) has passed away at age 43.

Haire died on Monday, according to a Tribunes.com obituary.

The cause of death for Haire has not yet been revealed, however it is known that he passed away at his home in South Carolina.

Also, former WCW star Scotty Riggs tweeted the following:

“Just got a message that former wrestler Sean O’ Haire has passed away. #RIPSeanOHaire”

A Celebration of Life visitation will be held from 1:00-3:00pm on Saturday, September 13th at his home at 510 Hampton Drive, Spartanburg, SC 29306.