Money Mark Productions' event "A Night with Foley" at the Nashville Fairgrounds. Personal life Meléndez was born in Orocovis, Puerto Rico and then moved to Tullahoma, Tennessee where he gained much of his US career success. In August 2013, reports surfaced that, after a five-year struggle with gout, Meléndez had his right foot amputated. It was elaborated that the veteran wrestler had also been struggling with rickets and that his entire leg may need amputation. He died on June 15, 2016, from complications following an extended illness. He was buried at Maury Memorial Gardens in Columbia, Tennessee. He was survived by a daughter named Jenee Beal and a nephew, Dan Wilson, who also served as his manager. He also has a first-born daughter by the name of Debralee Suzette Meléndez, born in New York, on November 4, 1953, and known as Debra S. Anello (her married name), and a daughter and son by another union: Jeannette Melendez and Gilberto Melendez Jr.. Championships and accomplishments American International Wrestling AIW West Virginia Heavyweight Championship (3 times) Central States Wrestling NWA Central States Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Mr. Pogo NWA Central States Television Championship (1 time) NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Georgia version) (1 time) – with Skull Murphy International Championship Wrestling ICW United States Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Tojo Yamamoto Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) (1 time) - with Louis Tillet NWA Mid-America NWA Mid-America Tag Team Championship (7 times) – with Leroy Rochester (1), Dutch Mantel (1), Buzz Tyler (1), Tojo Yamamoto (3), and Tom Renesto, Jr. (1) NWA Six-Man Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Tojo Yamamoto & The Beast NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version) (1 time) – with Frank Martinez NWA World Brass Knuckles Championship (4 times) NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version) (2 times) – with Frank Martinez NWA Western States Sports NWA Western States Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Killer Tim Brooks Pro Wrestling Illustrated PWI ranked him #432 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1991 Southern Wrestling Federation SWF Hardcore Championship (1 time) Stampede Wrestling Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Jim Wright Tennessee Wrestling Alliance TWA Hardcore Championship (2 times) United States Wrestling Association USWA Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time) World Wrestling Council WWC North American Tag Team Championship