The world lost the professional wrestler, Harold Hogue, better known as Ice Train, on January 23. The cause of his death has not been disclosed by the Hogue family, but it is known that he passed away at the age of 56 in a Los Angeles hospital. Speculations suggest that he may have been battling an illness.
Harold, who transitioned from being a football player at Central State University to a professional wrestler in 1991, made his last appearance in 2019 for the European Wrestling Promotion where he faced Dave Taylor. He is survived by his wife, Tiana, and their four children: Mykal, Yuri, Bishop, and Myles.
Exploring the Demise of Ice Train Wrestler
Ice Train, also known as MI Smooth, a former World Championship wrestler, passed away at the age of 56. He was admitted to a Los Angeles hospital where he eventually succumbed. Igne Gullicksen initiated a Meal Train for the Houge family on January 21. In her statement, Igne mentioned that Harold’s wife, Tiana, was en route to Los Angeles to be with her husband, while their four children would remain in Georgia. The meal train aimed to alleviate the financial burden on the family, and the $4200 target was swiftly met. Diamond Dallas Page, a close friend of Hogue, was the first to inform the public of the wrestler’s demise.
Announcing the news on Instagram, Page said, “It was very sad to learn that one of my closest brothers is gone. Harold Houge, alias H, Ice Train, or Smooth, was a fighter and one of the nicest individuals I’ve ever met.”
Harold’s younger sister, Sanya L Weston, later confirmed her brother’s passing. She mentioned that the wrestler passed on peacefully, surrounded by his wife, children, and siblings, both physically and digitally. She lauded his legacy in family, faith, football, professional wrestling, mentorship, and his protective nature towards her. Both Igne and Sanya hinted at Harold’s prolonged illness and suggested that the family had been prepared for the outcome.
Ice Train’s Wrestling Journey
Ice Train, hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, made his wrestling debut at World Championship Wrestling in 1993, swiftly becoming a fan favorite through appearances on WCW Worldwide and Saturday Night. After a year with WCW, Hogue joined the Catch Wrestling Association, where he spent three years.
In 1996, he reunited with WCW and formed a tag team with Scott Norton, known as Fire and Ice. They gained prominence as contenders for the World Tag Team Championship, but eventually parted ways, leading Harold back into solo competition. After an 18-year hiatus, he returned to the wrestling circuit for a one-time match against Dave Taylor in 2019. Alongside his wrestling career, Hogue is also a football Hall of Famer at Central State University, where he earned All-American honors three times, leading to his upcoming induction into the university’s Hall of Fame in 2021.
