Twitter La Parka is dead.
La Parka, the Mexican wrestler known for his use of skeletal imagery, is dead, and fans are filling social media with tributes. He was also known as La Parka II.
What is the cause of death? La Parka died from injuries suffered in a “tragic in-ring accident,” according to Comicbook.com. He died “following serious injuries sustained during a match in October,” according to Heel by Nature.com.
That site points out that the wrestler who died is not the MLW star La Park, formerly of the WCW, who first used the name La Parka. The deceased La Parka’s real name was Alfonso Huerta Escoboza. Known as La Parka II, Escoboza was part of Asistencia Asesoría y Administración, or the AAA.
Con mucha tristeza lamentamos informar que nuestro amigo e ídolo de la lucha libre mexicana Jesús Alfonso Escoboza Huerta “LA PARKA” ha fallecido.
Externamos nuestro apoyo y condolencias a toda su familia y elevamos nuestras oraciones para su pronta resignación.
Descanse en paz
“We are very sad to report that our friend and idol of Mexican wrestling Jesús Alfonso Escoboza Huerta ‘LA PARKA’ has passed away,” confirmed Lucha Libre AAA. “We extend our support and condolences to his whole family and raise our prayers …Rest in peace.”
Here’s what you need to know:
1. The Horrific Accident Was Captured on Video
¡Terrible accidente de LA PARKA! 😱
Esto ocurrió en la Arena Coliseo de Monterrey 🙁
#AAA I #LaParka I #LuchaLibre
What happened to La Parka? The above video gives you a sense of it. It happened in October 2019.
According to Comicbook.com, the accident occurred at a Koaz event. Escoboza “dove out of the ring” but missed his opponent and “collided with the steel barricade and the concrete floor instead.”
The event was at Kaoz Lucha Libre’s 64 Anniversary Arena Coliseum event in Monterrey. La Parka underwent surgery in October to “to release pressure and repair a fractured vertebrae,” according to WrestlingInc.com.
As to the specific cause of death, Medio Tiempo, a Spanish-language site, provided the sad details. La Parka “died on Saturday, January 11 at the age of 54 in a hospital in Hermosillo, Sonora, due to a renal complication,” the site reported. “After two months of being hospitalized, this Friday, January 10 at night he presented a renal failure, so he was returned to assisted breathing. In the afternoon of this Saturday, lungs and a kidney failed, causing the unfortunate death.”
2. La Parka Never Recovered From His Injuries, Which Included a Broken Neck
AAA’s La Parka passed away tonight. He was 56. He suffered serious injuries on a dive at the end of November and never recovered.
La Parka is one of the bigger recent stars in Mexican wrestling, the symbol of AAA. He is not the La Parka who wrestled in WCW and is now LA Park.
Wrestling News reported that La Parka broke his neck in that incident after his feet were tangled in ropes.
“AAA’s La Parka passed away tonight. He was 56. He suffered serious injuries on a dive at the end of November and never recovered,” wrote Lucha Blog on Twitter on January 11, 2020.
“La Parka is one of the bigger recent stars in Mexican wrestling, the symbol of AAA. He is not the La Parka who wrestled in WCW and is now LA Park.”
According to Ringside News, La Parka II was left unable to talk or move his extremities. He eventually was able to communicate. But he never fully recovered.
3. Fans Offered Tributes to La Parka After His Untimely Death
Tributes flowed into social media after news spread that La Parka was dead. Here’s a sampling:
“An absolutely bizarre day for wrestling has ended in tragedy. R.I.P to AAA Lucha Libre star La Parka. (Not to be confused with former WCW wrestler L.A Park). What an incredibly sad day.”
Wrote another fan, “We all had childhood hero’s. I genuinely mean it with all my heart that you were one of mine. Gracias por mi niñez/juventud, todas las rizas y sonrisas. Te amo.”
La Parka passed away, I grew up watching him on AAA and WCW… que descanse en paz 🙏🏻
Wera Loca wrote, “I have lost so many people in the last 5 years in Lucha Libre and my life. This hits hard. Que en paz descanza La Parka. @Parka_AAA.”
“…the day has finally come to say good bye to one my childhood heroes and role models,” a fan wrote. “I remember going to wrestling matches in Mexico as a little kid just hoping that I would get to meet you and have you sign my mask. You will be missed La Parka que descances en paz.”
4. La Parka Had Been Wrestling Since the 1980s & Was One of Mexico’s Biggest Stars
La Parka was not new to the ring. According to Wrestling News.com, Huerta first entered the ring in 1987, but he joined AAA in 1995.
“He headlined several TripleMania shows from 2003 to 2010” and became one of the promotion’s major stars, the site reports.
Wrestle Talk dubbed him one of Mexico’s biggest recent stars.
In its statement after his death, Lucha Libre AAA wrote, “Originating from Hermosillo, Sonora, Jesus Alfonso Escoboza Huerta traversed through Mexico and the world under the mask of La Parka with the AAA group for more than 20 years, reaching a level of an idol that of a global wrestling legend.”
In his possession, the organization says, “is the Copa Triplemania, the Copa Antonio Pena, the masks of Cibernetico, Gigante Drako, Halcon Dorado Jr. and Muerte Cibernetica as well as the top winner of the Rey de Reyes tournament.”
5. La Parka Hadn’t Tweeted Since October 2019
On Twitter, La Parka called himself, Luchador de la Empresa AAA or AAA Company Fighter. La Parka’s last tweet came in October 2019.
His age is being reported differently by multiple sites, but all agree he was in his mid-50s.
According to Pro Wrestling.net, Huerta took over the La Parka name after the original La Parka had a falling out with AAA’s owner.