Rufus Hannah, a formerly homeless alcoholic who was paid a pittance to fight and perform dangerous stunts in the notorious « Bumfights » videos, has died.
Rufus Hannah, a formerly homeless alcoholic who fought and performed dangerous stunts in the notorious « Bumfights » videos, has died. He was 63.
The Georgia State Patrol says Hannah was a passenger in a car that collided with a semi-truck Wednesday just outside of Swainsboro, Georgia. He had been living in nearby Adrian.
On Friday, Hannah’s friend and benefactor, Barry Soper, placed a bouquet on the Dumpster in San Diego where he first encountered Hannah more than 15 years ago.
Hannah appeared in videos that featured homeless people brawling or performing degrading stunts such as lighting their hair on fire or slamming head-first into walls. They got about $10 per stunt and were usually drunk.
Soper gave Hannah a job and helped in his eventual recovery. He tells KNSD-TV (http://bit.ly/2fYw6ON) that Hannah was a « beautiful soul » who had been sober for 13 years.
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