Poker World Mourns Passing of David “AtomBomb” Hendrix at Age 34
The poker world received sad news on Wednesday when it was revealed that Mississippi poker player David Hendrix (November 12, 1990 – October 8, 2025), affectionately nicknamed “Atom Bomb,” passed away at the age of 34.
Hendrix suffered from Werdnig-Hoffman disease (also known as spinal muscular atrophy type 1). According to NCBI, Werdnig-Hoffman disease is the most severe form of spinal muscular atrophy with symptoms that include severe motor weakness, poor muscle tone, and lack of motor development.
The prognosis for Werdnig-Hoffman disease is very poor. The disease presents before six months of age, and it is a progressive muscular disorder that often results in early death. Most patients die prematurely, either in infancy or early childhood, often by two years of life.
“From what the doctors tell me I am the oldest living person in America with my exact diagnosis,” Hendrix told PokerNews in a 2021 interview after he topped a 264-entry field to win the GulfCoastPoker.Net Pearl River Poker Open Event #4: $200 No-Limit Hold’em $20K GTD
His obituary read:
David Hendrix, 34, passed away on October 8, 2025, at North Mississippi Medical Center. He was born on November 12, 1990, in Amory, Mississippi, to Mark Hendrix and Marie Dodd.
David was a devoted member of Bethel Apostolic Church. He was known for his outgoing personality and his ability to make friends anywhere he went — a true social butterfly who never met a stranger. He had a passion for fishing, gaming on his computer and Xbox, and anything involving electronics, which he handled with impressive skill. David loved spending time with his family, friends, and most importantly, with Jesus. He shared a very special bond with his cousins Kelly, Chelsey, Jessica, and Cody.
He also enjoyed playing poker and was well-known among his friends by his nickname, The Atom Bomb. Though he couldn’t hold his cards, his remarkable memory and quick thinking allowed him to win many tournaments with a little help from those who loved him. His intelligence, humor, and bright spirit will be deeply missed by everyone who knew him. David’s life was a reflection of joy, perseverance, and faith — qualities that will continue to inspire those he leaves behind.
“He certainly was a fine man and poker player, and he had the most loving family and support everywhere he went,” Larry Little shared. “So sorry for the Hendrix family loss. God bless and comfort your broken hearts, but I know you rejoice for David’s homecoming in Heaven.”
18-time WSOP Circuit ring winner Daniel Lowery recently shared the following about his good friend: “Mohammed Ali would’ve had a hard time in the ring with this kid! He’s a tough one.”
Indeed, Hendrix, who got the ace of hearts tattooed on his left wrist when he was 18, was a fighter both on and off the felt. He spent the first 18 years of his life in and out of Le Bonheur Children's Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. When he was 14, he visited a Books-A-Million store and picked up Doyle Brunson’s Super System Volumes 1 & 2. Since he couldn’t play sports like football and basketball, he figured poker was a viable option that put him on an equal playing field with everyone else.
“I will never forget it because that was the day I found something that I not only could do, but I could just as you as anybody else as long as I put the work into it,” he previously told PokerNews. “Whenever I am sitting at that table, this wheelchair and disability do not even exist. I am in my element, and I feel like I am exactly where I am supposed to be. It feels like home, it honestly does.”
Funeral Services will be on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. at Bethel Apostolic Church in Amory. Burial will follow in New Chapel Cemetery. Visitation will be from 11-1 prior to the Funeral Services.
PokerNews offers it condolences to the friends and family of David Hendrix, who will be sorely missed by the poker community.
*Images courtesy of GulfCoastPoker.net
