Eddie Kingston has revealed that he considered leaving professional wrestling after the deaths of his friends and fellow wrestlers, PAC and Andy “The Butcher” Williams.

Williams, known to wrestling fans as The Butcher, died on September 5, 2026, at the age of 48. He was a member of the AEW tag team Butcher and Blade and also gained recognition as a guitarist for the hardcore band Every Time I Die.

PAC, whose real name was Benjamin Satterley, died on September 27, 2026, at age 40, one day after competing against Andrade El Idolo at AEW All Out. He was found unresponsive inside a vehicle in Des Plaines, Illinois, while reportedly preparing to travel to the airport. The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office later determined that he died from bronchial asthma, with his death ruled natural.

Kingston opened up about the emotional toll of their deaths following his match against Luke Jacobs at PROGRESS Wrestling’s Chapter 199: Bonestorm event in London on October 25. After the match, Kingston addressed the crowd and thanked fans for helping him through a difficult period.

The former AEW Continental Champion admitted that the losses had left him struggling to cope, revealing that he stayed home for five days after learning that both men had died.

“You lose real people. Life is a f**ked up place, but I wake up every morning and do this because of the fans,” Kingston said.

He continued explaining how much the support he received from fans had affected him during his grief.
Eddie Kingston reveals he stayed home for five days after losing his friends

“After Andy and Ben passed away, I didn’t leave my house for five days. I wanted to leave this business,” Kingston told the crowd.

Kingston also thanked fans who had reached out to share their own struggles with mental health and personal hardships. He said their messages helped him when he questioned whether he wanted to continue wrestling.

“Every fan who hit me up to tell me your story about mental health and your f**ked up life, and you tell me I helped you, bullsh*t, you helped me,” he added.

AEW honored Williams with a special Collision episode on September 12. The show featured a 10-bell salute, tributes from friends and colleagues, and the Butcher Battle Royale, which Daniel Garcia won. The company also dedicated its September 30 Dynamite edition to PAC, with wrestlers and colleagues celebrating his life and career.