Seth Rollins Remembers Brodie Lee, Shares Backstage Stories
Seth Rollins took to Instagram today to pay tribute to Brodie Lee (Jon Huber, fka Luke Harper) with a lengthy post. Lee passed away on Saturday at the age of 41 due to a non-COVID-19 lung issue.
Rollins' Instagram tribute comes just one day after he posted a photo of the two pro wrestling veterans together at the gym. Rollins will return to WWE TV on Friday's SmackDown but he has been away since late November due to taking time off for the birth of his first child with fiancee Becky Lynch, and besides the Instagram post on welcoming the child, he has been quiet on social media until now.
Like many people have done since Saturday, Rollins said he loved Lee, and went on about how he was a loving husband and a devoted father. Rollins also talked about how he vouched for Lee to get hired by WWE when he was working in FCW (what is now WWE NXT). He said they really got to know each other when The Shield and The Wyatt Family feuded on the main roster.
"Back in FCW, I vouched HARD for Brodie to get hired at WWE based on knowing and working with him briefly in ROH. We spent a little time in Tampa together, but The Shield debut took me on the road pretty soon after he moved down. Luckily, the Wyatt Family followed us out of developmental shortly thereafter and let me tell you he was a real treat to have on the road. That's where we really got to know each other," Rollins wrote.
Rollins also recalled how he and Lee almost got into a backstage fight during the feud between the two stables, because they were both "fired up" and trying to do what was best for their respective factions.
"Funnily enough, he and I almost came to blows backstage during the Shield/Wyatt series. We were both so fired up trying to do right by our respective squads that we tended to get a little snippy towards each other. It was the best. He was the best," Rollins wrote.
Rollins wrapped his tribute by talking about why he looked up to Lee, and how he hopes to carry some of Lee's qualities with him now that he has become a father and is becoming a husband.
"I looked up to Brodie. Not just because he was a physical mountain of a man, but because of how he was as a father and husband. And as I venture into those realms myself now, I really hope I can carry a bit of him with me. I hope I can be to my family even a little of what he was to his," Rollins wrote.
You can click here for the latest on Lee's passing, including his recent hospitalization and more tributes from around the wrestling world.
Below is Rollins' full tribute to Lee:
I was hoping at some point that the perfect words would come to me, but the truth is I still can't even come to terms with reality on this one. My heart is so broken. I loved Brodie. He was truly all the great things everyone has already said he is and if you ever met him you'd have known it in an instant.
He was a loving husband. A devoted father. He was a kind soul. A loyal friend. He was a grinder too, man. Passionate and thoughtful. Smart and funny. Dude had an infectious laugh and was such a s–t stirrer. He was a person I looked forward to...and it god damn kills me to know I'll never be able to do that again...
Back in FCW, I vouched HARD for Brodie to get hired at WWE based on knowing and working with him briefly in ROH. We spent a little time in Tampa together, but The Shield debut took me on the road pretty soon after he moved down. Luckily, the Wyatt Family followed us out of developmental shortly thereafter and let me tell you he was a real treat to have on the road. That's where we really got to know each other.
I'll always love him for prodding Bray and Braun to see how far they'd take their ridiculous oneupsmanship. He was often a monitor sellout because we'd all be waiting to see how many of Dana's poses he'd sneak in during his match. He even came to me to try CrossFit when he wanted to lean up. I think he hated burpees more than I do. Funnily enough, he and I almost came to blows backstage during the Shield/Wyatt series. We were both so fired up trying to do right by our respective squads that we tended to get a little snippy towards each other. It was the best. He was the best.
And I'm smiling so big as I'm remembering all this good stuff, fighting back tears. I thought writing this would just be all crying and sadness, but it's impossible to remember Brodie without laughing. He was just a light of good energy.
I looked up to Brodie. Not just because he was a physical mountain of a man, but because of how he was as a father and husband. And as I venture into those realms myself now, I really hope I can carry a bit of him with me. I hope I can be to my family even a little of what he was to his.
Love you, big man. Miss you already.