Kevin Nash recalled Test’s tragic passing and how it deeply affected him as Test was also close with his son.
Andrew Martin, better known to the wrestling world as WWE’s Test, signed with WWE in 1998 and was instrumental throughout both the Attitude and Ruthless Aggression Eras. After sharing an on-screen romance and engagement with Stephanie McMahon that ended in heartbreak when she married Triple H instead, Test went on to form one half of T&A before gaining on-screen immunity from being fired when he won a battle royal at Survivor Series 2001.
Test went on to form an on-screen relationship with Stacey Kiebler, who he was also dating in real life during that time. After undergoing spinal fusion surgery in 2004 for a recurring neck injury, he was released in November of that year. He returned in 2006, but after being suspended for violating WWE’s Wellness Policy, he and the company mutually parted ways in 2007.
The star struggled with addiction, and he tragically passed away in March of 2009 following an accidental overdose.
Speaking on his Kliq This podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Nash recalled his heartbreak when Test passed away, noting that his son also shared a relationship with the star and that as a fellow big man, he was meant to carry on Nash’s legacy.
“He was talented man, he was a stud. My son and I went to a WrestleMania with him, that was actually Shawn’s last match. [Editor’s note: Shawn Michaels’ last WrestleMania match actually took place in April of 2009, just shy of one month after Test’s death.] And, you know, my son actually got close with him. I think that was the first wrestler that passed that my son had a relationship with, that I had a relationship with, it tore my heart.
“He was just, you know, he was like my young boy, you know. It’s just like he was gonna carry the the I don’t give a f*ck torch, you know, after I was gone. But f*cking it didn’t work out so good. But yeah, he was dating Kelly Kelly at the time. [Myself] Christian and his wife, we tried to do some interventions and sh*t. And we thought we had him a couple times go in the right direction, but just, it was just tough.”
If you use any quotes from this transcription, please credit Kliq This and link back to this article with a h/t to Inside the Ropes.