Carol Sammartino, the wife of late WWE Hall of Famer Bruno Sammartino, has passed away at the age of 96.
The news was first revealed by her son Darryl Sammartino during a recent interview with legendary wrestling journalist Bill Apter at the Bruno Forever event. The interview was uploaded to YouTube on Tuesday and began circulating widely after a social media post from the Cauliflower Alley Club on Wednesday.
Carol Sammartino Died On March 4, 2026
Per Darryl Sammartino, his mother passed away on March 4, 2026. The family chose to keep the news private until late April.
“My mom passed away March 4th, 2026. She was in a home for about 16 months. And since my dad and my twin brother — my twin brother passed away 6 months after my dad — so, for the last 8 years, she’s just, you know, slowly deteriorated. And she was suffering towards the end. So, she’s not suffering anymore, which I’m very happy about. That’s it. Nobody deserves that.”
A Six-Decade Partnership
Carol and Bruno Sammartino were married in 1959 and remained together until Bruno’s passing on April 18, 2018, at age 82. They had three sons together — David, the eldest, and fraternal twins Danny and Darryl. The family also welcomed four grandchildren and lived in Ross Township, Pennsylvania since 1965.
Bruno is widely considered one of the greatest wrestlers in WWE history, having held the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship for over 11 years across two reigns. His first reign of 2,803 days remains the longest world title reign in WWE history.
The Bruno And Carol Sammartino Foundation
In addition to her family, Carol’s legacy lives on through the Bruno and Carol Sammartino Foundation, which the couple founded in 2019 to provide food, shelter, and essential services to those in need throughout Western Pennsylvania.
Tributes Pour In
The Cauliflower Alley Club, a non-profit fraternal organization for wrestlers and boxers, shared a tribute to Carol on social media after the news became public.
“The Cauliflower Alley Club extends its deepest and most heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and loved ones of Carol Sammartino, who passed away at the age of 96. Rest in peace, Mrs. Sammartino.”
Our thoughts are with the Sammartino family during this difficult time.
