Iconic actress Mary Tyler Moore's cause of death has been revealed. The "Dick Van Dyke Show" actress passed away on Wednesday, January 25, 2017, at the age of 80. Although she suffered from diabetes much of her life and even had a brain tumor in 2011, neither of these things actually caused her death.
Shortly after it was reported that Moore was hospitalized and listed in "grave condition," her death was confirmed. She had been in a hospital in Connecticut for several days and at least one source confirmed that she had been on a respirator for over a week.
Family and close friends had reportedly gone to see her and say their goodbyes over the past few days.
Rep issues statement
News of Moore's death was confirmed by her longtime rep, Mara Buxbaum, who released a statement on Wednesday.
"Today, beloved icon, Mary Tyler Moore, passed away at the age of 80 in the company of friends and her loving husband of over 33 years, Dr. S. Robert Levine. A groundbreaking actress, producer, and passionate advocate for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Mary will be remembered as a fearless visionary who turned the world on with her smile," the statement read.
Moore's cause of death
According to her rep, the actress was suffering from pnemonia and died from cardiopulmonary arrest.
In other words, Moore went into cardiac arrest, which occurs when the heart fails to pump blood. This is a very common cause of death for other Celebrities who have died from cardiac arrest, including Michael Jackson and Christopher Reeve.
Moore didn't make many public appearances over the past few years. In 2012, Moore was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the SAG Awards.
One year later, she joined her former "Mary Tyler Moore Show" co-stars Valerie Harper, Betty White, Cloris Leachman, and Georgia Engel on ABC's "Katie" before she made a guest appearance on "Hot in Cleveland."
Funeral plans for Moore have yet to be announced. It is presumed that her family will hold a private ceremony in Connecticut in the coming days.
