Kris Jenner's Mom Mary Jo 'MJ' Shannon's Cause of Death Revealed — Two Weeks After Tragic Passing
Kris Jenner's mom Mary Jo 'MJ' Shannon died from acute cardiopulmonary arrest, according to a death certificate.
July 28 2026, Published 6:20 p.m. ET
Kris Jenner's beloved mom's cause of death has been determined – two weeks after her tragic passing, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Mary Jo 'MJ' Shannon died from acute cardiopulmonary arrest, according to a death certificate obtained by U.S. Weekly.
Lung Cancer Diagnosis
Jenner's beloved mom was also suffering from metastatic lung cancer.
Other conditions leading to her death included acute respiratory failure and metastatic lung cancer, which she had lived with "for months," according to the document.
The family matriarch died at a Los Angeles hospital on July 16 and was cremated on July 23. No autopsy was performed after her death.
The Kardashians star announced Shannon’s death in a touching social media tribute.
Alongside a picture of her mom, Jenner, 70, reflected: "Today, we said goodbye to my beautiful Mommy MJ. There are no words that could ever capture what she has meant to me or the heartbreak of having to say goodbye.
Kris Jenner's Heartfelt Tribute
Grieving Jenner wrote an emotional message to her beloved mom.
"My mom was the heart of our family. She taught me everything that truly matters… to love your family fiercely, to be kind, to show up for the people you love, and to never take a single moment together for granted.
"She taught us that family is everything. She showed us how to love unconditionally and how to find joy in the little moments. She showed me how to face life’s challenges with resilience and faith. Mom, thank you for every sacrifice you made, every piece of wisdom you shared, and every moment you loved us so completely."
The grieving daughter continued: "I will miss our daily talks, your smile, your laughter… Our hearts are broken, but we find comfort knowing that love like yours never truly leaves us. Your love will live on in our family, in our traditions, in every moment we are together, and in every life you touched."
'I Thank God For Making You My Mommy'
Jenner said her mother shaped her as a person.
The Kardashian family matriarch, affectionately known to fans simply as "MJ," became a familiar face through years of appearances on Keeping Up With the Kardashians and, more recently, The Kardashians.
Jenner got especially emotional when sharing the impact her mom had on her own offspring.
"When I look at my kids and my grandkids, I will forever see pieces of you in all of us," she continued. "There is not a part of me that isn't shaped by you.
"And if I have done anything right in this world, it's because I spent my life trying to live in a way that would make you proud."
She concluded: "Every memory, every moment, every blessing, it was all because of you, and I will forever thank God every single day for making you my mommy.
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Jenner may have inherited her mom's business skills.
"My heart is broken into a million pieces… thank you for giving me the greatest childhood and oh what a beautiful blessed life… I love you forever, Mommy. Thank you for giving us everything."
Shannon made regular appearances on the famous family’s reality shows. She and Jenner's dad, engineer Robert Houghton, broke up when the little girl was just 7.
A few years later, Shannon married businessman Harry Shannon, whom she stayed with for 40 years until he died in a car crash in 2003.
Jenner may have gotten her business skills from her mom, who founded San Diego children’s boutique Shannon & Co. in 1980.
