American professional wrestler. Olympian weightlifter. Strongman competitor. That’s how the world recognized Ken Patera. Now in his 80s, he had recently returned to the gym after major back surgery and was making good progress. But a recent freak accident at the gym has left him with a broken neck. Patera’s friend announced the news and later shared it with Steve Stasiak of Book Pro Wrestler, who reported it first on Facebook:

“We’re sending our thoughts and prayers to wrestling legend Ken Patera. Ken recently suffered a fall at the gym that resulted in a broken C1. 

“The news is especially difficult because Ken had fought so hard to get back on his feet after major back surgery about two and a half years ago. Friends say he had made remarkable progress, returned to the gym, and lost a significant amount of weight as he worked to improve his health.”

It marks a horrific turn of events for Patera, especially after his recent back surgery. The former Olympian has struggled with injuries in his old age, but fans once considered him the strongest American alive. He was a storied weightlifter before retiring in 1972 and was the first American to clean and jerk over 500 pounds (227 kg).

Not just that, Patera also won four consecutive U.S. titles between 1969 and 1972 in the super heavyweight class. That was alongside two international titles, including gold at the 1971 Pan American Games and silver at the World Weightlifting Championships. It earned him qualification for the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, although Patera struggled to do well there.

He was slated to contend seriously for a gold medal alongside Vasily Alekseyev, but finished the Games marked as a DNF. Further, Patera managed only two valid lifts in the first two events and did not participate in the third. Following his retirement from weightlifting after the 1972 Games, the Olympian turned to strongman and wrestling.

He even finished third to Bruce Wilhelm and Bob Young in the inaugural World’s Strongest Man contest in 1977. However, it was as a wrestler that Ken Patera became a household name, competing for over 30 years. In fact, the now-83-year-old even made a late comeback in 1990, albeit on an independent card, before retiring in 2011.

“Anyone who has followed Ken Patera’s life knows determination has always been one of his defining traits. It’s what made him one of the toughest competitors of his generation, and it’s the same strength we hope carries him through this latest challenge,” Stasiak further wrote.

“Everyone at Book Pro Wrestlers is keeping Ken in our thoughts. Please join us in wishing him strength, healing, and a full recovery.”

Patera’s reputation extended beyond just weightlifting. After stepping away from the platform, he carved out an equally memorable career in professional wrestling, making history almost as soon as he arrived.

Ken Patera second to hold the WWE Intercontinental Championship

Once his weightlifting career ended, Ken Patera stepped into the world of wrestling. While he bounced around the major federations, he slowly made his mark. That included stints with the AWA and NWA, as well as with AJPW and NJPW in Japan. Patera became a household name after peaking in the WWF in 1980.

He made his debut in 1976, unsuccessfully challenging for several titles, and then left the WWF in 1978. Patera would return a year later and make history by becoming only the second person to win the WWF (now WWE) Intercontinental Championship. He beat Pat Patterson in April 1980 for the title and held it until he lost to Pedro Morales in December 1980.

That was the peak of his wrestling career, as he held the Intercontinental title and the NWA Missouri Heavyweight Championship. Following that, he continued yo-yoing in and out of the WWF, leaving for Japan before returning in 1981. He became an integral part of the organisation in his third spell, so much so that he was even a part of the very first Survivor Series.

Patera competed in the main event alongside the late Hulk Hogan, Bam Bam Bieglow, Don Muraco, and Paul Orndorff. Injuries meant that, as the 1990s approached, Ken Patera lost his place in the line-up and appeared for the last time in the WWF at the 1988 Survivor Series. He then attempted a third spell with the AWA before eventually retiring in the late 1990s.

Patera built a reputation by overcoming challenges in two demanding sports, making this latest setback challenging. For now, the focus has shifted away from his remarkable career and toward hoping the 83-year-old can make another recovery.