Andy Williams of Every Time I Die Collapses at Pro Wrestling Event, Dies at 48

THE NEWS

Andy Williams played rhythm guitar on all nine Every Time I Die records and never stopped being the guy in the pit with you ^**^††. He died Saturday, Sept. 5, at 48, after collapsing at the end of a tag team match at an Enjoy Wrestling show at Mr. Small's Theatre in Millvale, Pennsylvania ^*^**^****. On-site doctors performed CPR and a defibrillator was used before he was taken to a hospital; no cause has been determined ^*^††.

THE LEGACY

Co-founded Every Time I Die in Buffalo in 1998 with Jordan Buckley and Michael "Ratboy" Novak, and stayed all 24 years ^*^****.
Nine studio albums, two EPs and two DVDs, through 2021's *Radical* ^***^††.
Formed Atomic Rule after the 2022 split with James Henderson, Travis Bennington and Kevin Boutot; EP *With Skull-Crushing Force* landed in September 2025 ^§§^****.
Hours before his death he posted that Atomic Rule had finished writing and demoing new songs: "We have a lot of stuff we need to announce that we can't right now, and we're really excited about it." ^*
Wrestled as The Butcher from 2015, debuting in AEW in November 2019 with Jesse "The Blade" Guilmette ^***^¶¶.

WHY IT MATTERS

Between The Buried And Me called him "a true one-of-one human being in every aspect of life" — Better Lovers' words, echoed across metal and wrestling alike ^§§. He wrote riffs like Tetris shapes and matches like songs, and both scenes claimed him as theirs ^¶¶.

—

Source ArticlesShow Inline Citations

^* Rockers + Wrestlers Pay Tribute to Late Guitarist Andy Williams — Jordan Blum, Loudwire, 2026-09-06T16:24:58+00:00 — https://loudwire.com/rockers-wrestlers-tribute-andy-williams/
^† Ex-Every Time I Die Guitarist Andy Williams Dead at 48: REPORT — Rob Carroll, Loudwire, 2026-09-06T03:47:04+00:00 — https://loudwire.com/andy-williams-collapses-during-wrestling-show/
^‡ Andy Williams, Former EVERY TIME I DIE Guitarist and Professional Wrestler, Dead at 48 — Metal Injection, 2026-09-06T13:39:45+00:00 — https://metalinjection.net/news/andy-williams-dead-every-time-i-die-48
^§ Every Time I Die co-founder and professional wrestler Andy Williams dies — Lambgoat, 2026-09-06T21:14:00+00:00 — https://lambgoat.com/news/54679/every-time-i-die-co-founder-and-professional-wrestler-andy-williams-dies/
^¶ Andy Williams (Atomic Rule, ex-Every Time I Die) suffers medical emergency during wrestling event — Lambgoat, 2026-09-06T11:48:00+00:00 — https://lambgoat.com/news/54678/andy-williams-atomic-rule-ex-every-time-i-die-suffers-medical-emergency-during-wrestling-event/
^** Andy Williams, Former Every Time I Die Guitarist and Pro Wrestler, Dead at 48 — Spencer Kaufman, Consequence, 2026-09-06T13:50:42+00:00 — https://consequence.net/2026/09/andy-williams-every-time-i-die-guitarist-wrestler-dead/
^†† Andy Williams, Every Time I Die Guitarist and Pro Wrestler, Dead at 48 — Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 2026-09-06T17:56:53+00:00 — https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/andy-williams-every-time-i-die-guitarist-wrestler-dead-obit-1235622341/
^‡‡ ANDY WILLIAMS, EVERY TIME I DIE guitarist and wrestler, dead at 48 — Revolver, 2026-09-06T15:05:27+00:00 — https://www.revolvermag.com/news/andy-williams-every-time-i-die-guitarist-and-wrestler-dead-at-48/
^§§ “A true one-of-one human being in every aspect of life”: metal, hardcore, wrestling worlds pay tribute to ex-Every Time I Die guitarist Andy Williams after shock death aged 48 — Matt Mills, Louder Sound, 2026-09-07T10:12:07+00:00 — https://www.loudersound.com/news/tributes-paid-every-time-i-die-guitarist-wrestler-andy-williams-death-2026
^¶¶ Former Every Time I Die guitarist and AEW wrestler Andy Williams dead at 48 — Merlin Alderslade, Louder Sound, 2026-09-06T13:39:58+00:00 — https://www.loudersound.com/music/former-every-time-i-die-guitarist-and-aew-wrestler-andy-williams-dead-at-48
^*** Ex-Every Time I Die Guitarist Andy Williams Passes Away Following Wrestling Match — Diamond Oz, Metal Underground, 2026-09-06T13:52:14+00:00 — http://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=162025
^††† Former Every Time I Die Members Pay Tribute To The Late Andy Williams — wookubus, The PRP, 2026-09-07T03:31:52+00:00 — https://www.theprp.com/2026/09/06/news/former-every-time-i-die-members-pay-tribute-to-the-late-andy-williams/
^‡‡‡ Andy Williams (Atomic Rule, Ex-Every Time I Die) Has Passed Away (Updated) — wookubus, The PRP, 2026-09-06T14:19:09+00:00 — https://www.theprp.com/2026/09/06/news/andy-williams-atomic-rule-ex-every-time-i-die-has-passed-away/
^§§§ Andy Williams (Atomic Rule, Ex-Every Time I Die) Suffered A Serious Medical Emergency At A Pro Wrestling Event Tonight (Updated) — wookubus, The PRP, 2026-09-06T02:36:24+00:00 — https://www.theprp.com/2026/09/05/news/andy-williams-atomic-rule-ex-every-time-i-die-reportedly-suffered-a-serious-medical-emergency-at-a-pro-wrestling-event-tonight/
^¶¶¶ Every Time I Die – Andy 'The Butcher' Williams Passed Away — Metal Storm, 2026-09-06T14:40:57+00:00 — https://metalstorm.net/events/news_comments.php?news_id=63812
^**** Andy Williams, Every Time I Die Guitarist And AEW Wrestler, Dead At 48 — Margaret Farrell, Stereogum, 2026-09-06T15:49:42+00:00 — https://stereogum.com/2510527/andy-williams-every-time-i-die-guitarist-and-aew-wrestler-dead-at-48/news/

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