Professional wrestler Tanea Brooks, better known as Rebel, has revealed she has been diagnosed with terminal ALS. The 47-year-old shared a video with fans in which she shared that she had been informed of her diagnosis by doctors after years of health problems that were attributed to other conditions.
“It’s been a two-year medical journey trying to find out what is wrong, and finally, our prayers have been answered,” she said as she fought back tears.
“The thing is, sometimes we don’t wanna hear that answer to our prayers. And so, while I was waiting to have lung surgery for the masses on my lungs, the doctors at Mayo found – finally found – what’s going on.”
Tanea, who has been using a walker since she was diagnosed with a disorder called functional neurological disorder in November 2025, shared that “doctors have diagnosed me with terminal ALS”.
“There is not a lot of research behind ALS and we don’t know how long I have. But it explains why I have trouble walking and talking and all my functions will soon decline,” she shared, noting that she can now “prepare for the future and what is to come”.
Tanea thanked the AEW and its founder Tony Khan “for supporting me on this medical journey, adding: “It’s been a blessing that is unheard of, and from the bottom of my heart, thank you.”
“And thank you to all of you for your prayers. Please continue to pray for a peaceful journey and a peaceful passing. I love you,” she concluded.
In November 2025, she shared that a year prior, she had been diagnosed with a rare form of lung Cancer called primary pulmonary lymphoma. “If there is a best-case scenario, then I have it,” she remarked in a video update.
Tanea was a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader at the age of 18 in 1998 and began performing in 2013 as Rebel. She appeared as herself on WWE’s NXT TV show, teaming with Amber Nova in a tag team loss to Kairi Sane and Io Shra in 2019. That same year, she was hired by All Elite Wrestling (AEW) as the hair & makeup stylist for its women wrestlers, but it soon emerged that her character was in fact the assistant for the wrestler Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D., who kept incorrectly calling her Reba, a recurring comedic character.
Over the years, Tanea also appeared in various music videos for country stars, including Brooks and Dunn’s song, “Play Something Country,” and as the “badonkadonk” girl in Trace Adkins’ “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk” music video, as well as on stage with Trace at the CMT Music Awards and the Academy of Country Music Awards.
ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that destroys motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. Over time, ALS patients lose the ability to eat, breathe, speak, and walk by themselves. Patients typically live 3-5 years after diagnosis, and there is no known cure for the disease.
Hollywood star Eric Dane, 53, died in February 2026, less than a year after he announced his own diagnosis. Eric’s reps told HELLO! in a statement: “With heavy hearts, we share that Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS.”
“He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world.”
“Throughout his journey with ALS, Eric became a passionate advocate for awareness and research, determined to make a difference for others facing the same fight. He will be deeply missed, and lovingly remembered always,” the statement continued.
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