According to a story from Dave Meltzer of The Wrestling Observer posted yesterday (Aug. 15) on that site, Ric Flair underwent surgery on Monday to remove a blockage from his colon.
According to one posted this morning by Mike Johnson of PWInsider, a “a source close to the situation” told that site the operation was not performed on Flair’s colon.
WWE confirmed surgery did take place and that it was successful, but other than that, all we know is that the Hall of Famer’s daughter Charlotte thanked fans for their support and said the family would update us when they know more.
And that’s that. If the family wants us to know what type of surgery he had, they’ll issue a statement.
As wrestling fans, we all feel a connection to the Nature Boy. Via this pastime we love, he’s been a part of our lives for a long time. It’s natural we want to know what’s going on, as we hope and pray for his return to health, and as we reflect on what he’s meant to us in preparation for the possibilty he doesn’t.
But ethically, by virtue of the family’s wishes, and legally, per privacy statutes such as HIPAA, we’re on the outside without a ton of information by design.
So we’ll keep Ric and his family in our thoughts, hope for the best, and wait for an official update from the Flairs or their designated spokespeople.