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Report On What Caused Death Of “Bushwhacker” Butch Miller

By John Canton • Published 21st April 2023
bushwacker butch

There is an update on what played a part in the recent death of WWE Hall of Famer, “Bushwacker” Butch Miller.

Earlier this month during WrestleMania weekend, there was some sad news when we found out that WWE Hall of Famer “Bushwacker” Butch Miller passed away at the age of 78. Butch is survived by his wife Helen, their daughters Sharon and Kirsten, and his grandchildren.

Butch was hospitalized in the ICU on Friday, March 31st after arriving in Los Angeles for WrestleMania and a signing at Wrestlecon. That resulted in a “situation with medication” according to Bushwhacker Luke in an interview, which led to a hospitalization. Sadly, Butch’s condition did not improve and he passed away.

The news of Butch’s death was shared by his best friend and tag team partner Bushwhacker Luke, who wrote on Facebook after his friend’s death.

“Late last night, I lost my friend, brother and tag team partner of over 50 years with the passing of Bob “Butch” Miller. My heart goes out to his wife Helen, his lovely daughters Sharon and Kirsten and all of his grandchildren. From the early-1970s when we were young mates wrestling for John da Silva in New Zealand, my first impression of Bob “The Chest” Miller (as he was called in those days) was that he was a first-class redneck, and what bloody redneck he was!

“But he was also an all-around good guy and a great friend. By the time we reached our mid-20s, we found ourselves traveling the world together, from New Zealand to Australia to Malaysia, Singapore and Japan, before “invading” the North American territories in Canada and the United States as The Sheepherders. In 1988 we were in our 40s and still at the top of our game when we got a call from the offices in Connecticut with an offer to join the largest and fastest growing wrestling promotion in the world, the WWF/E- The Bushwhackers were born!”

“As The Bushwhackers we appeared in the largest venues in the world, in front the the biggest crowds professional wrestling had ever seen! And we were eventually honored by our fans and peers with our inclusion in the WWE Hall of Fame in 2015 and the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2020.”

“We did it all, we saw it all, and we accomplished it all together. This past weekend in Los Angeles, Bob flew in from New Zealand to join me for Wrestlemania weekend and the related festivities, neither of us knowing it would be our last days together and his last days of life. If you were to read the story of my life it would say that I am only child, but it would be wrong.”

“In life I had a brother and his name was Bob Miller. I love you, Bob. Until I see you again, WOOOOAHH YEEEEAAHH!”

In an update on what happened to Butch, Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter wrote that it was due to forgetting to pack his medication for high blood pressure.

“Regarding the death of Butch Miller, it’s really sad what happened because he had forgotten to pack one of his medications to combat high blood pressure. Because the flight from New Zealand to Los Angeles was so long, by the time he landed it was four days since he had taken his pills. He was in his hotel room for a private signing on 3/30 in the early morning and said he didn’t feel well.

“Medical personnel were rushed to his room and he was taken out in an ambulance on a Gurney with oxygen over his face half naked in front of people at line at about 8:45 a.m. for signings. Luke Williams canceled his autograph sessions that day and then came back from the hospital and told people what happened, but said he believed he would recover and that he hoped they’ve be able to do a signing together on 4/2.”

“Later, Williams said that Miller was awake in the hospital but he didn’t know his name or where he was and the doctors did find out he had not been taking his water pills which is why his blood pressure was so high. Luke told people that Butch was so excited to do the signing that he forgot to pack his pills and then it was so long since he had taken them.”

During the week following his death, WWE showed graphics on screen honoring the late Bushwhacker.