Ryan O'Neal's Cause of Death Revealed With the Release of His Death Certificate
Dec. 23 2023, Published 11:00 a.m. ET
Late Academy-Award nominated actor Ryan O’Neal's cause of death has finally been revealed with the release of his death certificate, RadarOnline.com has learned.
According to The Blast, the certificate states that O’Neal, a renowned actor known for his role in the iconic 1970 film Love Story, died of congestive heart failure. He had been suffering from cardiomyopathy for several years.
O’Neal passed away at the age of 82 while hospitalized at St. John’s Medical in Los Angeles.
The death certificate, issued by the County of Los Angeles, does not list any other contributing factors to his passing.
His final resting place is at the Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park and Mortuary.
Cardiomyopathy is a condition in which the normal muscle in the heart can thicken, stiffen, thin out, or fill with substances that do not belong in the heart muscle.
As a result of his condition, the heart muscle's ability to pump blood is reduced, which can lead to irregular heartbeats, blood backing up into the lungs or other parts of the body, and heart failure, as explained by the CDC.
Patrick O’Neal, the 56-year-old actor and son of the late actor, confirmed his father's passing on Instagram. He described his father as his hero and expressed his admiration for him as a human being. Patrick spoke of their close bond, which included playing sports and sharing laughter.
The late Paper Moon actor faced health challenges throughout his life. He was diagnosed with leukemia in 2001 and later with prostate cancer in 2012. He underwent back surgery in 2017 and battled addiction to alcohol and drugs.
O’Neal became a household name when he starred in the 1970 film Love Story opposite Ali MacGraw. His portrayal of Oliver earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role, but he lost out to George C. Scott for his role in Patton.
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In addition to his successful acting career, O’Neal was known for his high-profile romances. He was married to Joanna Moore from 1963 to 1967 and had two children with her, Tatum and Griffin. He then married Leigh-Taylor Young in 1967, and they had Patrick before divorcing in 1971.
He also had a tumultuous relationship with Charlie's Angel's Farrah Fawcett.
The couple had an on-and-off relationship from 1979 to 1997 and then again from 2001 until Fawcett's death in 2009. They had one son together, Redmond. The relationship was reportedly marred by infidelity and O'Neal's hot temper.
Their son, now 35, has faced his own challenges and is currently in a psychiatric hospital in San Bernardino following legal troubles in Southern California in 2018.