Late last year, Rebel confirmed that her lengthy absence from AEW was due to health issues the former TNA talent had been dealing with. She also revealed a lung cancer diagnosis that her medical team at the Mayo Clinic was working toward a treatment plan for, and discussed a “functional neurological disorder” that was limited her ability to walk, speak, and use her right hand.
Today (May 1), the 47-year-old Oklahoman posted another video. It seems that while she was awaiting lung surgery at the Mayo
Clinic, the medical team discovered her “functional neurological disorder” is actually ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), aka Lou Gehrig’s disease.
ALS is a terminal, progressive neurodegenerative disease with no known cure. It kills motor neurons, causing muscle paralysis. It usually leads to death by respiratory failure.
Here’s transcription of the message Rebel — real name Tanea Brooks — posted earlier, along with her video beneath that. Her ability to speak is noticeably deteriorated since her videos in November 2025:
“First, I want to say thank you for all your prayers, because for those who know, I spent a two-year medical journey trying to find out what is wrong. And finally, our prayers have been answered.
“The thing is, sometimes we don’t want to hear the 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. The 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. But now we can prepare for the future and what is to come.
“And I wanna say thank you to Tony Khan and AEW for supporting me on this medical journey. It has 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.“
There were several messages from Rebel’s friends in the industry, including WWE stars she’s never worked with, after her lung cancer announcement. An outpouring of love and support has already started in the comments to her posts, and we expect that to continue even as we add our own here.
It may not seem like much, but we imagine it makes a difference to folks processing the news Rebel and her family have received this week.
