Family remembering former pro wrestler Johnny Valiant who was hit, killed by truck

ROSS TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A professional wrestling legend died Wednesday morning after being hit by a truck while crossing a busy North Hills road.

WWE Hall of Famer "Luscious" Johnny Valiant, whose real name is Thomas Sullivan, split his time between Pittsburgh and New York City, where he lived with his wife.

Sullivan kept his mother’s Pittsburgh home off Siebert and stayed there when he was in town.

"He was a great guy," said Sullivan's son, Daniel Sullivan. "I guess the way I would best describe him is he was an original."

Daniel told Channel 11 that Sullivan had walked “a hundred times” from that home to the bus stop on McKnight.

"He's my dad, but I get that to a lot of other people, he's Luscious Johnny," Daniel Sullivan said. "He was going to catch a bus at Siebert and McKnight that would take him Downtown, that would then take him eight hours later into New York City."

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Police say Sullivan was crossing McKnight around 5 a.m. Monday when he was hit by a white pickup truck.

It was dark and raining and, according to police, it was a tragic accident.

Prayers and support from wrestling fans across the world have been pouring in.

Daniel Sullivan told Channel 11 his father was a great wrestler and entertainer, but he remembers him as a wonderful dad who always made time for his two sons.

Remembering Johnny Valiant Remembering Johnny Valiant

"So right off of the plane, beaten up and tired, exhausted, he'd take us over to the baseball field and hit us balls until we were tired," Daniel Sullivan said. "It's just moments like that as a kid, growing up, that you knew your dad loved you so much."

Police are still investigating, but have preliminarily ruled it an accident and have not filed charges.

Valiant was a big wrestling star in the 1970s and '80s.

For a time, he managed Hulk Hogan, and even went on to make appearances on "The Sopranos" and "Law and Order."

Cox Media Group