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How did Dave Hebner die? Fans say former WWE referee, 73, was part of 'greatest wrestling swerve EVER!'

WrestleMania V's Hulk Hogan vs Randy Savage match was a major referee switch that catapulted both Dave and his twin Earl into the spotlight

Legendary former WWE Referee Dave Hebner who was also a part of one of the most-watched wrestling matches in history died from an undisclosed illness at his home at the age of 73. Hebner died around noon on June 17, 2022, at his home in Mechanicsville, Virginia. Hebner's nephew Brian Hebner shared the news on his Reffin' It Up podcast and then shared a post on Twitter, writing "RIP Dave Hebner. Gone but never forgotten. Always loved."

Brian, who is the son of Dave's twin brother Earl Hebner, didn't reveal the cause of death at this time. Hebner's illness was revealed on May 28 by NASCAR driver Hermie Sadler, who has had numerous moments involved in pro wrestling. In past, it had been revealed that Hebner had Parkinson’s disease. Sadler shared a photo on Twitter, where it could be seen that Hebner had been going through serious health issues. "I’ve said many times that friendships and relationships are very important to me. Took the time today to go visit Dave Hebner. The Hebner family is so special to my family. Join me in sending some positive vibes his way !! @BrianRDJames @WWEArmstrong @RealJeffJarrett @WWE", he wrote. 

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Dave and his twin brother, Earl, were born on May 17, 1949, and grew up in the Richmond, Virginia, area. Dave began refereeing in the late 1970s around the area. By the early 1980s, he’d been hired by the WWF and was front and center for some of the promotion’s iconic moments, including as the third man in the ring for Randy Savage versus Ricky Steamboat at WrestleMania III and Randy Savage versus Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania V.

WrestleMania V's Hulk Hogan vs Randy Savage

On February 5, 1988, in an NBC special called WWF The Main Event, Dave was the referee for a WWF World Heavyweight title bout between Hulk Hogan and André the Giant. André defeated Hogan with the help of Earl and André’s manager, “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase revealed that Dave had been locked in a closet. Dave arrived in the ring, and Hogan saw double. It was a major referee swerve that catapulted both into the top level of referee lore. This iconic match was the first live pro wrestling special on broadcast TV in decades. This brought on a big reaction as the general public wasn’t aware of The Hebners being twins. Among the fans, this was one of the most iconic moments of Hebner. A user wrote, "RIP Dave Hebner You were part of the greatest wrestling swerve EVER! You’ll never be forgotten."

Another user shared the video of this iconic moment saying, "RIP Dave Hebner". 

WrestleMania III's Randy Savage vs Ricky Steamboat

Dave talked about the Savage-Steamboat match in a 2009 interview withSlamWrestling.net and said,“That was the best match of the Wrestlemanias."

"We had about 22 false finishes in that match. We went over it, over and over. Randy and Ricky, I have to tell you, they gave it all they got. They are professionals. They know what they’re doing and are both great athletes and just give you everything, so you have to know your spot, know your timing. It’s a lot of people. And just coming out of the back, going to the ring, you just got cold chills. You just see all those people, 93,000 people. I mean how many people walked out to 93,000 people? I was so excited; sometimes I almost forgot what I was supposed to do,” he had shared.

Due to knee issues, Dave had to retire following knee replacement surgery. He moved into a behind-the-scenes role with WWE and left the in-ring scenes and started working as a producer/road agent through July 2005 when he was released. The Hebners went on to work for TNA/Impact Wrestling. Hebner's dismissal along with his brother Earl from WWE was big news in the wrestling world in 2005. Both brothers were suspended when Earl was caught allegedly selling bootleg WWE merchandise.

Dave was also part of the class-action lawsuit against WWE along with 50 other plaintiffs who alleged WWE concealed the risks of neurological injuries and intentionally classified wrestlers as independent contractors to avoid liability under worker protection laws. In that complaint, it was stated that Dave had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.

Who was Dave Hebner's wife?

Dave married Rebecca on September 20, 1968. They met as teenagers and tied the knot on September 20, 1968. Dave and Rebecca have two daughters, Christina and Becky. In the 2009 interview with Slam Wrestling, he praised his wife Rebecca, who he met as a teenager and married on September 20, 1968. “We’ve been married for 40 years. We got married, she was 17 and I was 19. I stole her out the cradle,” he chuckled. “My wife has stood behind me 100% ever since I’ve been in the business. There’s no wife that can be any better than my wife.”