Image Source: Sporting News
Stephanie McMahon, WWE’s Chief Brand Officer, has revealed that she will be taking a family leave of absence.
In a tweet posted on Thursday afternoon, McMahon made the shocking announcement.
McMahon’s decision will allow her to “take some time after a trying previous year,” according to the New York Post.
This is most likely a reference to her husband, WWE legend Triple H, having a cardiac incident last summer that culminated in a near-death experience.
McMahon told Stephen A. Smith in March that it all started with viral pneumonia and him coughing up blood. Doctors discovered he had potentially catastrophic fluid around his heart after running tests on him.
“I was nose-diving and on the one-yard line of where you don’t want to be for your family and your future,” Triple H explained.
“Our three young daughters are 15, 13, and 11 years old. Suddenly, I return home, sick, and their father, who has always been strong, is admitted to the hospital. And I’m not sure if they realized the consequences, but there are times when you think to yourself, ‘Is this it?’ ‘Are you still awake?’ That’s difficult to accept, and it causes you to reconsider your position.”
Paul Levesque, aka Triple H, has subsequently returned to work, albeit in a limited capacity.
Stephanie McMahon, the daughter of WWE Chairman Vince McMahon, has worked for the organization since she was a toddler in a variety of on- and off-screen jobs.
She joined the writing team in 2000 and rose through the ranks to Executive Vice President of Creative. In 2013, she was promoted to CBO and began working to improve the company’s image with advertisers, business partners, and other stakeholders.
While it’s impossible to say if this had any influence on her decision, Vince McMahon voiced disappointment in family members during a rare live interview in March of this year.
Vince told Pat McAfee the following about a possible successor, without naming anyone in particular:
“To be honest, I maybe expected more from my family members, which is probably not the proper way to put it. However, you must do the right thing for the company. So, if this person isn’t working out, they shouldn’t be hired.”
Stephanie’s return date is unknown at this moment, nor is it known if she will be replaced until then.
