What was Chyna's net worth?
Chyna, an influential American wrestler, actress, bodybuilder, and adult film actress, had a net worth of $500 thousand at the time of her untimely death at age 45 on April 20, 2016. She was pivotal in the growth of women's professional wrestling and also appeared in several reality TV shows.
Early Life
Born Joan Marie Laurer on December 27, 1969, in Rochester, New York, Chyna grew up with her two older siblings, Kathy and Sonny. Her parents divorced when she was four, leading to a tumultuous childhood marked by her father's alcoholism and her mother's multiple remarriages. At 16, after her mother attempted to place her in a drug rehabilitation center, Chyna left home.
Despite these challenges, Chyna completed high school and spent her final year in Spain before enrolling at the University of Tampa to study Spanish Literature. Fluent in Spanish, French, and German, she also participated in ROTC and had aspirations of joining the FBI or DEA. Instead, she chose to join the Peace Corps and served in Guatemala before returning to the U.S., where she worked various jobs, including cocktail waitress, singer, and belly dancer, while competing in fitness competitions in the mid-1990s.
Wrestling Career
In 1995, Chyna trained at Wledek "Killer" Kowalski's professional wrestling school in Massachusetts, where she began competing in small matches. Her impressive performances caught the attention of WWF performers, leading to her hiring as a bodyguard and eventually as a solo performer in 1997.
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Debuting in February 1997, Chyna's character, ironically named "Chyna" to contrast with delicate fine china, became a landmark presence in WWF. In 1999, she broke barriers as the first woman to enter the Royal Rumble and qualify for the King of the Ring Tournament. She enjoyed tremendous success in WWF until her departure in 2001.
Chyna then joined New Japan Pro-Wrestling in 2002 for a year before taking a hiatus to explore other ventures. She returned to wrestling with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling in 2011 and wrestled her final match in May of that year.
Television, Film, and Media Appearances
Chyna's wrestling fame opened doors to numerous film and media opportunities. She posed nude for Playboy in 2000 and starred in an adult documentary for the publication. In 2001, she released an autobiography and made multiple appearances on "The Howard Stern Show."
Throughout the 2000s, Chyna appeared on TV shows like "Fear Factor," "3rd Rock from the Sun," "Robot Wars: Grand Champions," and "Hollywood Squares." She became a housemate on "The Surreal Life" in 2005 and its spin-off "The Surreal Life: Fame Games" in 2007. She also appeared in films such as "Just Another Romantic Wrestling Comedy" and "Illegal Aliens."
(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Personal Life
Chyna had notable relationships with wrestlers Paul "Triple H" Levesque from 1996 to 2001 and Sean Waltman in 2003. Her relationship with Waltman was tumultuous, involving multiple engagements, breakups, and a controversial sex tape titled "1 Night in China." In 2005, she was arrested for domestic assault against Waltman.
In 2007, Chyna legally changed her name to Chyna, a name she had been unable to use post-WWF. Battling substance abuse throughout the 2000s, she entered several rehab programs and appeared on "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew," though she often denied having addiction issues. She had a strained relationship with her family, accusing her father of taking out student loans in her name.
In 2012, Chyna moved to Japan to teach English, converted to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and reconciled with her mother.
Death
Chyna passed away at her California home in April 2016. Her manager, Anthony Anzaldo, found her after noticing her absence from social media. The autopsy revealed she died from an overdose of various anxiety drugs, painkillers, and sleeping pills.
Her brain was donated for the study of chronic traumatic encephalopathy. A memorial service was held in Los Angeles in June, attended by her wrestling colleagues and other celebrities, before her ashes were scattered into the Pacific Ocean.
