In your prayers, please remember the soul of Jonathan R. Huber, ’98.
Below is an article about Jon Huber a.k.a. Brodie Lee, published in the Democrat and Chronicle on Dec. 26, written by Ryan Miller.
McQuaid graduate Jon Huber, a popular wrestler with All Elite Wrestling, has died at age 41.
Huber’s wife, Amanda, said on Instagram Saturday evening that her husband had a “non COVID related lung issue.” Huber’s death was also announced by the official AEW Twitter account.
Huber performed under the monikers Brodie Lee (AEW) and Luke Harper (WWE).
Amanda Huber posted a gallery of her husband, who she called “the greatest father you would ever meet” on Instagram. “My best friend died today,” she said, while adding that Jon Huber was surrounded by family and friends. Amanda Huber thanked doctors and nurses at the Mayo Clinic.
“The All Elite Wrestling family is heartbroken,” AEW tweeted. “In an industry filled with good people, Jon Huber was exceptionally respected and beloved in every way – a fierce and captivating talent, a thoughtful mentor and simply a very kind soul that starkly contradicted his persona as Mr. Brodie Lee.
“Jon’s love for his wife Amanda, and children Brodie and Nolan, was evident to all of us who were fortunate to spend time with him, and we send our love and support to his beautiful family, today and always. Jon’s popularity among his peers and influence on the wrestling world was worldwide and transcended AEW.”
The wrestling world mourned Huber’s death.
“I hope you all get to know someone like Jon. He was the biggest family man & someone who made me laugh daily,” tweeted current WWE Intercontinental Champion Big E. “I’ll miss him every day for the rest of my life. I love you, Brodie, and I thank you so much for loving me.”
Huber made his AEW in March as Brodie Lee and captured the TNT Championship in August. He lost the belt on Oct. 7 and hadn’t wrestled since due to what was believed to be an undisclosed injury.
Before AEW, Huber was known as Luke Harper in the WWE, where won NXT and Smackdown tag team titles and was an Intercontinental champion.
A 2017 Democrat and Chronicle profile described how Huber went from a clean-cut Jesuit school graduate to a bearded mauler in the wring with a mercurial wrestling persona.
Huber played lacrosse for four years at McQuaid and skated in youth hockey leagues, including a time with Aquinas graduate and former NHL star Brian Gionta.
Huber started as a backyard wrestler and his professional career began with independent outfits Roc City Wrestling, Rochester Championship Wrestling, NWA Upstate, NWA New York and Upstate Prof Wrestling. He was originally known as Huberboy #2 before renaming himself Brodie Lee.
He toured as a wrestler on weekends and worked for 7 1/2 years during the week as a book clerk at the Rochester City School District’s Frederick Douglass campus.
“Once in a while a kid would come to my office and say, ‘Mr. Huber, is this you?’ And they would show me a video which was obviously me and I would say ‘Please don’t share that with anybody,’ ” Huber said in 2017.
Huber was ready to give up touring when Amanda was pregnant in 2011. That’s when the WWE called, asking him to try out.
Huber signed a deal and moved to Florida to work his way his way up through the company’s developmental ranks. He earned a spot on the main roster in 2013 and rose to prominence as part of the Wyatt Family.
After making the WWE main roster, Huber and his family moved back to Rochester.
“I’m super proud of Rochester and super proud of what Rochester is and what Rochester represents,” Harper told WWE in 2019. “Instead of leave Rochester I would prefer to have people associate Rochester with me and bring Rochester up.”
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.
May his soul and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the Mercy of God, rest in peace.
Amen