In a moment of profound grief, WWE Hall of Famer Teddy Long has publicly addressed the tragic loss of his son, Antoine Long. During the July 10 episode of Wrestling’s Road Trip After Hours, Long shared the heartbreaking details surrounding his son’s sudden death.
Antoine was discovered unresponsive by a friend in his home on Friday, July 4th. The family is currently awaiting autopsy results to understand the circumstances of his passing. This tragedy compounds the sorrow for Long, who lost his wife, Tasha, less than three years ago in September 2022.
“He passed, I believe, last Thursday. We found him Friday. He was in his home. He was unresponsive. So basically I’m waiting on the autopsy to let us kind of know what really happened. He was laying on his bed, still had his clothes on and everything, and one of his friends came there and found him in the house. So we’re just waiting to see what happened.”
Despite the immense personal loss, Long took the time to express his gratitude for the significant support he received from the wrestling community. He specifically named several prominent figures who reached out with condolences, highlighting the respect he commands within the industry.
“A lot of people acknowledged that and texted me—people from WWE—and I want to say those names now too, to let them know how much I appreciate it. Mark Henry was one of them. Bruce Prichard, Michael Hayes, The Godfather, Eric Bischoff, Natalya, Ron Simmons, JBL, and Stephanie McMahon. She reached out and spoke on behalf of her and Triple H and gave me their condolences. So thank you so much, Stephanie.”
Long also gave a heartfelt acknowledgment to Herb Simmons and others, emphasizing the sincerity of their support.
“I also want to acknowledge Herb Simmons—another guy I want to let people know—when people do stuff like this, they don’t have to. So anytime they do, that lets me know you ain’t faking, you’re real. They really do care. So the people that I mentioned have shown me that they do care.”
In his closing message, Long extended his thanks to all who have offered support, including fans on social media, acknowledging he may not be able to respond to everyone individually.
“Like I said, there’s nothing we can do. It’s God’s call. So I just want to thank everybody. If I didn’t get a chance to thank you, or if I didn’t respond—some of the people that came on Facebook and Instagram—I may not be able to meet you. But thank you so very much. Thank everybody for coming out and thinking about Antoine.”
Long has announced he will be taking time off this month to be with his family and handle his son’s affairs. His most recent appearance for WWE was during the 2024 WWE Draft, and he continues to be a respected figure in the wrestling world.