"The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes (1945-2015)

On Thursday morning, June 11, 2015, Virgil Runnels, better known to all wrestling fans as “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes, passed away at the age of 69.

Born "a son of a plumber", Rhodes became a three-time NWA champion in the 1970s and on March 31, 2007 (the night before WrestleMania 23) at the Fox Theatre in downtown Detroit, he was inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame. Rhodes was a dedicated father, a caring husband, and a creative visionary who helped shape the landscape of WWE long after his in-ring career had ended.

When Rhodes came to WWE (then-known as World Wrestling Federation) in 1990, he introduced fans to his son, Dustin Runnels, who made a name for himself as Goldust and years later, brought in Cody Rhodes, now known as Stardust. Through family bonds and winning championships, his sons were more than capable of carrying on the Rhodes family legacy and the "American Dream".