Robert James Marella better known by his ring name of Gorilla Monsoon was an American professional wrestler playbyplay commentator and booker Monsoon is famous for his run as a superheavyweight main eventer and later as the voice of WWE as commentator and backstage manager during the 1980s and 1990s He also portrayed the onscreen role of WWE President from 1995 to 1997 In professional wrestling the staging area just behind the entrance curtain at an event a position which Marella established and where he could often be found during WWE shows late in his career is named the Gorilla Position in his honor Although remembered fondly by many viewers Monsoon was voted Worst Television Announcer a record six times by readers of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter in the publications annual awards poll Marella was married to his wife Maureen for more than 40 years and had three children Sharon born 1960 Joey adopted 19631994 and Valerie born 1966 Victor Quinones 19592006 was listed in Gorillas obituary as his son as well This was never confirmed officially by Gorilla but the Marella family has acknowledged this after Gorillas death Along with Linda McMahon Marella was considered as a possible replacement for Vince McMahon as the owner of WWE if McMahon had been found guilty during his 1994 legal trial for illegal steroid use in the company On July 4 1994 his adopted son Joey Marella fell asleep at the wheel and died in a car accident on the New Jersey Turnpike while returning from refereeing a WWE event in Ocean City Maryland He was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash For years Marella had a custom New Jersey license plate which read kayfabe Death and legacy Marella died on October 6 1999 of heart failure brought on by complications of diabetes at his home in Willingboro Township New Jersey He was 62 years old In a tribute that aired on October 11 1999 on an episode of Raw Is War from the Georgia Dome McMahon described Marella as one of the greatest men I have ever known He is interred next to his son Joey Marella at Lakeview Memorial Park in Cinnaminson New Jersey WCW commentator Tony Schiavone acknowledged Marellas death on the October 11 1999 episode of WCW Monday Nitro Bobby Heenan insisted on doing a tribute to Marella even though Marella never worked for WCW Heenan said onair Gorilla will be sadly missed Now he was one big tough man He was a decent honest man And were all gonna miss him very much And you know the pearly gates in heaven Its now gonna be called the Gorilla position Goodbye my friend Robert Marella was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame class of 1994 on June 9 When Heenan was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004 he ended his acceptance speech with a very emotional Theres only one thing missing I wish Monsoon was here In 2007 when Anthony Carelli made his debut with WWE as a tribute to Marella he was given the ring name Santino Marella