Teddy Long Breaks Silence on His Son’s Sudden Death in Emotional Statement

Teddy Long is facing every parent’s worst nightmare. The WWE Hall of Famer opened up for the first time about the heartbreaking loss of his son, Antoine Long, during the July 10 episode of Wrestling’s Road Trip After Hours.

Antoine was found unresponsive in his home last Friday. He had been active on social media just days before, and his sudden passing has shocked those close to the family. Teddy took time on the podcast to speak directly to fans and thank those who’ve shown support in the aftermath.

“Well, basically, I guess what Mac wants to talk about is the passing of my son Antoine. 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 his grief, Long made sure to publicly acknowledge the people who reached out from the wrestling industry. Some of the biggest names in the business sent him personal messages of love and respect.

“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.”

He also gave a heartfelt shoutout to Herb Simmons and others who went out of their way to show they truly cared.

“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.”

Teddy ended with a message to everyone who’s reached out, especially fans online, who may not have heard back directly.

“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.”

Teddy Long has given decades to the wrestling business, and now he’s dealing with unimaginable grief. Hearing him thank others while holding back emotion is a reminder that even legends carry real pain behind the scenes. The industry might be full of characters, but moments like this are heartbreakingly real.

Have you ever met Teddy Long or been moved by his contributions to wrestling? Drop your messages of support and share your thoughts about his heartfelt tribute to Antoine in the comments below.

Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.