Ashley Massaro competed in Survivor China more than a dozen years ago on the Zhan Hu tribe as a WWE Superstar. She was 39 years old.
Ashley Massaro, Survivor
PEOPLE has reported Ashley Massaro, Survivor: China castaway and former WWE Superstar died on Thursday morning. The details of her death remain undisclosed as of press time, although it is not considered a criminal case according to a spokesperson for the Suffolk County Police Department. She was 39.
Survivor fans know her as a player who had a rough start during the show’s 15th season, falling ill very early on. She was almost the first player voted out of the game but persevered through her hardships. Ashley drew the ire of tribe leader Dave, who she thought prioritized the wrong things in building the tribe’s shelter.
She and Dave got into many arguments during her six days in the game but her drained physique and reliance on Dave as a tribe leader did not win Ashley any favors. Ashley was voted out unanimously from her tribe as she finished in 15th place on Day 6.
Massaro rose to fame in WWE during the mid-2000s, carving out a reputation as tough and resilient. Later, she appeared on Survivor: China, where she once again proved she could endure physical and mental pressure.
But behind the scenes, friends and legal filings suggest Massaro was carrying trauma that the public never saw.
After her death, an affidavit surfaced in which Massaro claimed she was sexually assaulted during a WWE tour overseas. According to the document, she alleged that company representatives discouraged her from reporting the incident and pressured her to stay silent to protect the brand.
These claims were never tested in court. But they changed how many fans viewed her death.
Was Trauma Ignored?
In the affidavit, Massaro described ongoing physical pain, emotional distress, and fear after the alleged assault. She also claimed she suffered from head injuries during her wrestling career — raising concerns among fans about long-term neurological and psychological damage.
While later examinations found no evidence of CTE, the absence of that diagnosis did little to quiet the bigger question:
Did years of untreated trauma, pressure, and silence contribute to her mental decline?
Those close to her say she struggled privately, even as she continued to appear strong in public.
A Death That Sparked Outrage — Not Closure
Ashley Massaro’s death didn’t bring closure. It ignited anger.
Fans demanded accountability. Wrestlers spoke out about mental health and the culture of silence in the industry. Survivor viewers revisited her season with a new lens, noticing moments of vulnerability that once went overlooked.
To this day, no single answer explains why Ashley Massaro took her own life.
For more SURIVIVOR updates, follow Daily News.
