The official cause of death of legendary comedian Richard Lewis was revealed Friday when his death certificate was made public.
Lewis died Tuesday night at the age of 76 after suffering a heart attack amid his battle with Parkinson’s disease.
Three days later, a copy of his death certificate obtained by The explosion He listed the cause of death as “cardiopulmonary arrest.”
Parkinson’s, which led Lewis to retire from stand-up after his diagnosis in April 2023, was noted as his secondary cause of death.
The news emerged after Lewis’ widow shared her gratitude for the many ‘loving tributes’ from his fans in a social media post on Thursday.
The official cause of death of legendary comedian Richard Lewis was revealed on Friday when his death certificate was made public; in the photo 2011
Lewis died Tuesday night at the age of 76 after suffering a heart attack amid his battle with Parkinson’s disease.
Joyce Lapinsky, who married the stand-up star in 2005, shared a post through her late husband’s account on X (formerly Twitter).
It came just hours after it was reported that the Curb Your Enthusiasm star had died at home of a heart attack at the age of 76.
This is Joyce, Richard’s wife. Thank you for the loving tributes to her,’ she wrote. “He would be beyond excited and touched, as would I.”
Many of Lewis’ fans sought to make donations in his honor as stories of his kindness and positive impact on friends like Jamie Lee Curtis, so his widow shared a way they could honor his life and work.
“In response to the many questions, I know Richard would appreciate donations in his memory to the Los Angeles-based charity Comediegivesback.com or a charity of your choice,” he added.
Comedy Gives Back is a registered charity providing financial help to struggling comedians, including payments to help cover insurance premiums and rent.
It also advertises that it helps comedians find and pay for mental health treatment, and offers a service that provides an alternative to health insurance for uninsured, low-income comedians.
Comedians also have access to addiction services and charity boats that offer weekly 12-step meetings in Los Angeles, as well as hosting comedy meetups and festivals for comedians on the road.
Joyce Lapinsky (R), Lewis’ widow, shared a message to her fans on her X account Thursday following his death at age 76 from a heart attack; seen in 2018 in Los Angeles
He thanked fans for the ‘loving tributes’ and said Lewis ‘would be beyond thrilled and touched, as would I.’ He urged fans to donate to Comedy Gives Back, a charity he supported.
The organization loomed large for Lewis, who is currently listed as a member of its “talent board,” along with Caroline Rhea and Howie Mandel.
Following Lapinsky’s post, the charity was inundated with donations listed in the late comedian’s honor.
Lewis had been open over the years about his decades-long struggle with alcohol and drug addiction.
He cited 1994 as the year he finally got sober, after being hospitalized as a result of a cocaine overdose.
That was also the year his friend John Candy died of a heart attack at age 43 after battling drug and alcohol abuse over the years.
Lewis spoke openly about his decades-long struggle with drug and alcohol addiction. He achieved sobriety in 1994 after being hospitalized due to a cocaine overdose; seen in 2015 in New York
Lewis and Lapinsky performed in 1998 at a Ringo Starr party and began dating shortly after. The two got engaged in 2004; seen in 2018 in Los Angeles
Lewis had co-starred with Candy in her last film, the western comedy Wagons East, which required a major script rewrite and had to rely on a stunt double for scenes not filmed before Candy’s death during production.
Although fans of Lewis’ sketch comedy or his dozens of appearances on Curb Your Enthusiasm were probably familiar with his jokes about his romantic life and his fear of intimacy, he was in a relationship or married to Lapinsky for much of that time.
The future couple was introduced in 1998 when they both attended a Ringo Starr album release party.
In a 2010 interview with Paul Freeman, Lewis revealed that a mutual friend had tried to set them up two years earlier, when he was starring with Jamie Lee Curtis in the comedy Anything But Love, but Lapinsky had turned them down because she thought he was ‘ crazy’ at that moment.
But after working on her addiction issues, she became more receptive during their 1998 reunion.
“I assumed she was Italian and 33 years old,” Lewis recalled of their first major meeting. “She said, ‘Let’s nip this in the bud. I am 42 years old. I’m Jewish from Minnesota. So if that bothers you… And if children are an important thing…” She was like reading my mind.’
It was a chance meeting for Lewis, as he said he was able to “finally commit to someone.”
Lewis recalled his therapist yelling at him, “This is the best thing ever!” after he brought Lapinsky to his session to share his concerns about the relationship. They married in 2005; seen in 2018 in Los Angeles
“I met the right woman at the right time,” he added.
The couple dated for several more years and only became engaged in 2004 after Lewis took Lapinsky to one of his therapy sessions, during which, he said, his therapist shouted, “This is the best thing ever!” after she shared some of her concerns about the relationship.
The lovebirds married in 2005 and Lapinsky was with Lewis until the end.
Before his death, Lewis exchanged the standard mortgage on his home for a leasehold deed of trust, which would make it easier for him to remain in his home without it, according to the New York Post.