Hana Kimura was a victim of online bullying
The wrestling world lost another star in Hana Kimura, who was a victim of online bullying.
It’s been a tragic week for the wrestling community, bookended by the loss of two lives. The events which led to the deaths of Shad Gaspard and Hana Kimura were very different, but the result was similar, lights extinguished too soon, leaving many behind struggling to adjust to the darkness.
Kimura was a successful wrestler. Though Stardom Wrestling is nowhere near the level of popularity of, say, the WWE or Ring of Honor, she made a good enough living for herself.
Kimura also had her fair share of issues. In a set of recent tweets, as translated by a fan, she indicated that she was being cyber-bullied, and she “didn’t want to be human anymore.”
The effects of bullying in Kimura’s life were significant, as one of Kimura’s last messages described the sheer amount of bullying she was facing and the effect it was having on her.
“Nearly 100 frank opinions every day. I couldn’t deny that I was hurt,” Kimura wrote. “I’m dead. Thank you for giving me a mother. It was a life I wanted to be loved. Thank you to everyone who supported me. I love it. I’m weak, I’m sorry. I don’t want to be a human anymore. It was a life I wanted to be loved. Thank you everyone, I love you. Bye.”
Following are samples of the messages dedicated to Kimura which have flooded social media from others in the wrestling business since the news of her death was confirmed earlier.
Former WWE Divas champion Paige tweeted:
“This breaks my heart. The Internet can be a cruel disgusting place. RIP to this beautiful young woman. 🙏🏻”
More support came from Bea Prestley who said
“You are one of my best friends. Beautiful.Passionate.Kind.Funny. Charismatic. Talented. Always filled the room with joy. I have no words for how I’m feeling. You have taken a piece of my heart today. Let’s have another match when we may be together again. I love you Hana banana.”
Ronda Rousey, who has also been bullied for her time in WWE, also came out in support of Kimura.
The former UFC champion further shared information for those who needed counselling:
“To Hana Kimura and her family, I am so incredibly sorry for your loss. .. There are no words that could possibly heal this wound… Rest In Peace Hana Kimura… If anyone reading this is suffering, know there are resources available to help. If you need someone to talk to on the phone call this number 1-800-273-8255 if you would prefer texting, Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a Crisis Counselor.”
Rousey wasn’t the only one to speak out about this. Almost every star from across promotions tweeted to call out bullying.
Renee Young, Wil Ospreay and countless others were vocal about the evils of bullying as another young life was lost.
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