US star Greco-Roman wrestler Alan Vera, 33, dead after health complications from cardiac arrest

United States Greco-Roman wrestler Alan Vera died Monday night after health complications from a summer cardiac arrest while playing a club soccer match in New Jersey.

Vera was 33 years old. 

“It is with a heavy heart we announce the passing of Greco-Roman U.S. National Team member, husband and father Alan Vera,” USA Wrestling said in a statement on X Tuesday night.  

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Alan Vera pins Timothy Young in the first round of Final X NYC wrestling at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden June 8, 2022. (IMAGN)

“Alan represented Team USA and USA Wrestling with the utmost class, and always brought a smile to those around him. He will be missed.”

Vera, who qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics, was playing in a match with friends for the New Jersey Wolves FC in Jersey City, New Jersey, July 29 when he went into cardiac arrest. 

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Vera had been hospitalized since then with “serious health challenges,” according to USA Wrestling. A GoFundMe page created on Vera’s family’s behalf said an “unexpected infection took hold over the weekend.”

“His body, despite fighting with every ounce of strength for the past two months, could no longer endure the battle,” the GoFundMe page said. “While his passing brings a sense of peace knowing he is no longer suffering, the void left behind is immeasurable.”

Vera, a native of Guttenberg, New Jersey, was married to two-time U.S. Olympian and world champion freestyle wrestler Elena Pirozhkova. They shared an infant daughter, Alina. 

“Our hearts have been broken,” USA Wrestling Executive Director Rich Bender said in a statement. “Our sincere thoughts and prayers go out to Elena, Alina and all of Alan’s family, as well as those who have known Alan. The wrestling community mourns the loss of a great champion, whose incredible life impacted so many within USA Wrestling and around the world.”

Jon Anderson of the United States (in red) competes against Alan Vera of Cuba (in blue) in the men’s Greco-Roman wrestling 59-kilogram semifinals during the 2015 Pan Am Games at Mississauga Sports Centre. (John David Mercer/USA Today Sports)

Vera was Cuban born and quickly became a star in Greco-Roman wrestling for the Cuban National Team, winning bronze at the 2015 Pan American Games and gold in the 2016 Pan American Championships. 

He eventually immigrated to the U.S. and lived in Florida, pursuing American citizenship while continuing to compete in Greco-Roman wrestling. 

Vera competed in the 2021 and 2022 Senior World Championships for Team USA at 86 kilograms and was a member of the Greco-Roman National Team since 2020. He finished second at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials and earned himself the No. 2 spot on the 2024-25 Greco-Roman national team at 97 kilograms. 

He also reached the finals in the 2024 Pan American Olympic Qualification Tournament in Mexico, which allowed him to qualify for the U.S. at 97 kilograms in the Olympics. 

Alan Vera of New York AC during a Greco-Roman 97-kilogram championship match at the Olympic Wrestling Team Trials April, 20, 2024, at the Bryce Jordan Center in University Park, Pa.  (Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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“Vera was well-known for his exciting style of wrestling, which often included high-amplitude throws and strong par-terre skills which led to many exposures on the mat. However, he will be remembered more for the kind of man that he was, a positive, friendly, up-beat person who brought joy to those around him,” USA Wrestling’s statement added.