"Mean" Gene Okerlund was seriously injured during a nasty fall back in December ... triggering a rapid decline in his health that ultimately led to his death, his son tells TMZ Sports.
We spoke with Todd Okerlund who says Okerlund suffered multiple broken ribs during the fall at his Florida home and was treated at a hospital in Sarasota.
Todd says Okerlund had been in frail health for a while but the fall clearly made things much worse.
Just 4 days before his death, Gene was admitted to a nursing home .