Hospital: Gary Coleman Gave Ex-Wife Power To Pull Plug
June 3 2010, Published 11:46 a.m. ET
Gary Coleman may have quietly divorced his wife Shannon Price, but the Diff'rent Strokes star still gave her the power to pull the plug on life support in the event of something happening to him, RadarOnline.com has learned.
In order to prove this, Price gave officials at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center permission Wednesday night to release the following information to RadarOnline.com:
"Mr. Coleman had completed an Advanced Health Care Directive that granted Shannon Price permission to make medical decisions on his behalf if he was unable to do so. An Advanced Health Care Directive remains in effect regardless of a patient's marital status, unless modified by the patient. It is a private medical document which the hospital does not have permission to release. However, we received permission to confirm that the document was in effect at the time of Mr. Coleman's death.
AUDIO: Hear Gary Coleman's 911 Tape
"Because of federal privacy laws, the hospital will not be able to provide any additional information."
In yet another new twist in Coleman's death, the brother in-law of the diminutive star exclusively told RadarOnline.com he wasn't even aware the couple was divorced!
EXCLUSIVE: Gary Coleman And Wife Reconciled Before His Death
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Shawn Price, the brother of widow Shannon, also confirmed for the first time his sister "pulled the plug" on Coleman's life support.
The startling revelation that Price portrayed herself to hospital staff that she was Coleman's wife, despite not being legally married, has called into question who had the authority to make any medical decisions on the actor's behalf.
Coleman died at a Utah hospital after being taken off life support on Friday. He was 42.
"I don't think they ever got the divorce," Shawn told RadarOnline.com, in an exclusive interview.
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But according to documents unearthed on Wednesday, the couple kept the divorce secret.
Documents were sealed using the names 'John Doe' and 'Jane Doe', to prevent it becoming public.
The papers cited 'irreconcilable differences' as the reason for divorce and stated that no alimony was awarded, with all property going to Coleman.
However, Shawn said at the Coleman's death, the couple was living together.
It was from Coleman's Santaquin, Utah, home where Shannon, 24, called 911 after hearing a loud bang while in bed.
AUDIO: Hear Gary Coleman’s 911 Tape
In a tape released Wednesday, it emerged Shannon initially resisted giving Coleman medical aid because she felt squeamish.
"I'm gagging... I've got blood on myself... I can't deal," Price said in the call, in which she described Coleman as 'bubbling at the mouth'.
VIDEO: Coleman And His Wife Discuss Their Crazy Fights
Shawn said his sister was coping "OK" amid the controversy swirling around her ex-husband's death.
"We're all sad on the way he passed away," he said.