The sudden and tragic passing news of Victoria Lee sent shockwaves not only through her family but also into the world of mixed martial arts.
A year after the mysterious death, her elder sister, Angela Lee, finally the reasons behind Victoria’s demise on September 19, 2023.
Stay tuned with us and continue reading the article to uncover the full story behind Victoria Lee’s death.
Victoria Sun-hei Lee was a rising American MMA fighter born on May 17, 2004, in Wahiawa, Hawaii.
Popular with the nickname ‘The Prodigy,’ she has competed in ONE Championship during her active years.
She was a highly accomplished mixed martial artist with an impressive list of achievements.
The two-time Junior World Champion honed her skills at Hawaii’s United MMA Gym under her brother-in-law Bruno Pucci, along with support from EvolveMMA.
Later, Victoria Lee made history by signing a contract to compete in the Atomweight division of the ONE Championship, becoming its youngest fighter.
In 2022, Lee temporarily took a break from MMA for high school graduation. The next year, she made a comeback against Zeba Bano at ONE Fight Night 6 in Bangkok on January 14.
Victoria Lee Cause OF Death
Victoria Lee was only 18 years old at the time of her death. Her sudden demise on January 7, 2023, left the world in shock.
Her elder sister, Angela Lee, confirmed the death of the younger one through her Instagram post.
She shared that the Lee family was completely devasted with the heartbreaking news. The older sister paid her a tribute through an emotional post on Instagram;
On December 26, 2022, our family experienced something no family should ever have to go through. It is incredibly difficult to say this. Our Victoria passed away. She has gone too soon and our family has been completely devastated since then. We miss her. More than anything in this world. Our family will never be the same. Life will never be the same.
Likewise, the ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong also expressed his grief via his Facebook post.
He wrote;
“I am heartbroken by Victoria Lee’s passing. I first met Victoria when she was 11 years old. I watched her blossom over the years as a martial artist and a human being.”
The family initially kept mum and never talked about the tragic passing of Victoria for almost a year.
Recently, Angela Lee revealed that her younger sister also died by suicide, writing an article for The Players’ Tribune.
Moreover, she also shared about some serious mental health issues she has been dealing with.
Victoria Lee’s Athletic Family: Parents & Siblings
Victoria Lee came from a family with a strong sports history. She was born and raised in Hawaii to a Chinese-Singaporean father, Ken Lee, and a Korean-Canadian mother, Jewelz Lee.
As Lee was the youngest, she grew up getting inspired by her Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt father and two elder siblings.
In addition to that, both her sister, Angela Lee, and her brother, Christian Lee, are Canadian-born American professional mixed martial artists and ONE world champions.