Professional Wrestler Tanea Brooks, 47, Breaks Down in Tears Revealing ALS Diagnosis, Says She Prays for a ‘Peaceful' Death
TL;DR
Professional wrestler Tanea Brooks, known as 'Rebel', has been diagnosed with ALS at the age of 47. She revealed her diagnosis during cancer treatments, expressing her desire for a peaceful journey and passing.
Key points
- Tanea Brooks diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
- She is 47 years old and known as 'Rebel' in wrestling
- Diagnosis revealed during ongoing cancer treatments
- Brooks expressed desire for a peaceful journey and passing
Mentioned in this story
Tanea Brooks during her wrestling days, Tanea Brooks revealing her ALS diagnosis.
Credit: rebeltanea/Instagram
NEED TO KNOW
- Professional wrestler Tanea Brooks has been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
- The All Elite Wrestling (AEW) star, 47, learned she has the disease amid cancer treatments
- "Please continue to pray for a peaceful journey and a peaceful passing. I love you,” Brooks said, breaking down in tears in an emotional video on May 1
Tanea Brooks — known in the wrestling ring as "Rebel" — has been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
The All Elite Wrestling (AEW) star, 47, revealed in an emotional Instagram post on Friday, May 1, that she has been diagnosed with the fatal disease.
ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, destroys nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing muscle weakness, slurred speech and eventual paralysis, according to the Mayo Clinic.
“The doctors have diagnosed me with terminal ALS,” Brooks said in her video. “There is not a lot of research behind ALS, and we don’t know how long I have. But it explains why I have trouble walking and talking, and all my functions will soon decline.”
“But now we can prepare for the future and what is to come. And I want to say thank you,” she continued, then breaking down in tears as she expressed specific gratitude toward AEW and Tony Khan, the president and CEO of the organization.
"It has been a blessing that is unheard of, and from the bottom of my heart, thank you," Brooks said, also thanking supporters for their prayers.
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"Please continue to pray for a peaceful journey and a peaceful passing. I love you,” she concluded her message, tearfully blowing a kiss to the camera.
Brooks, who was born in Oklahoma, joined AEW in 2019, and she began appearing onscreen under the name “Rebel.”
Tanea Brooks.
Credit: rebeltanea/Instagram
During her time in the AEW, she took on other big-name talent like Big Swole, Nyla Rose and Vickie Guerrero.
Brooks' revelation about her ALS was shared after she was diagnosed with primary pulmonary lymphoma (PPL). PPL is a rare non-Hodgkin lymphoma confined to the lungs, per the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
In a November 2025 video, Brooks said she was hospitalized the year prior for what she initially thought was a lung infection.
She said she was on “anti-fungal” medication for a year, with “infections, ruptures [and] “tumors,” before she entered the Mayo Clinic and received her cancer diagnosis.
After receiving treatment at the clinic for the cancer, and just as she was about to have “lung surgery for the masses” on her lungs, doctors gave Brooks her ALS diagnosis.
Read the original article on People
Q&A
What is Tanea Brooks' ALS diagnosis and its significance?
Tanea Brooks, a professional wrestler, has been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which is a progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.
How did Tanea Brooks reveal her ALS diagnosis?
Tanea Brooks revealed her ALS diagnosis in an emotional video on May 1, where she broke down in tears and asked for prayers for a peaceful journey and passing.
What treatments is Tanea Brooks undergoing alongside her ALS diagnosis?
Tanea Brooks is currently undergoing cancer treatments in addition to her ALS diagnosis.
