Former WWE ring boy Tom Cole committed suicide this past Friday. He was 50.
Cole worked as a WWE ring boy years ago and had accused ring announcer Mel Phillips and employee Terry Garvin of sexual misconduct and harassment. This was known as the “WWF ring boy scandal” after other men came out with similar accusations.
You can click here to read Cole’s 1999 interview with The Wrestling Perspective, detailing what happened and how he rejected Garvin, who was fired by the company. Cole ended up reaching a settlement out of court with WWE, which included them paying for his education. He would later ask Linda McMahon for his job back, but the company dismissed him and he went on unemployment, which WWE challenged several times, and successfully appealed.
Tom’s brother Lee Cole announced the news of his brother’s passing on Twitter, and called out Linda and Vince McMahon for what happened. You can see his tweets below:
My brother Tom Committed suicide a couple of hours ago. Vince Mc Mahon and his wife Linda let child molesters into their companies years ago and did everything possible to cover up what they did to my brother. I hope you can sleep good at night Vince. Our family suffers. Thank U
— Lee Cole III (@leeroycole) February 13, 2021
https://twitter.com/leeroycole/status/1360418397713035264
We are talking about grown men that molested children for a long period of time in the WWE. Did other men like my Brother Tom, kill themselves because of the pain. The McMahons covered for Patterson, Garvin and Phillips, who else did they cover for.
— Lee Cole III (@leeroycole) February 13, 2021
https://twitter.com/leeroycole/status/1360484260046663680
My brother was a good man, a good father until the pain was to much to bear. Remember this company WWE would take underage children across state lines. He was a perfect victim, father not around and alcoholic mother. These men knew what to look for.
— Lee Cole III (@leeroycole) February 13, 2021
Note to Vince and Linda, I will do everything in my power "legally" and make sure that you answer for the lives you have destroyed. I ask twitter to please not let these people shut me down. They are despicable human beings. Believe me they will come for me. #thisisfortommy
— Lee Cole III (@leeroycole) February 13, 2021
Writers mocked my brother like Irv Mushnick are as guilty as Vince n Linda McMahon. Irv never could understand why victims like my brother went back n forth with his abusers. It is called being groomed Irv. Now that my brother committed suicide maybe you will understand better.
— Lee Cole III (@leeroycole) February 13, 2021
Today the absence of my brother is most painful. Why is it that sexual exploitation of children is so accepted by the people in charge in this country. How many other have taken their lives because the most powerful Gov n the work allows these atrocities.Vince McMahon pure evil.
— Lee Cole III (@leeroycole) February 13, 2021
https://twitter.com/leeroycole/status/1360881404637306882
It has been two days sense Tom took his life and I have been asked by people to back off. Tom told me that he wants everyone to know about what happened and I expect lawyers will soon come to try to shut me up. This will not happen. All the support and care has been a welcome.
— Lee Cole III (@leeroycole) February 14, 2021
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