Football legend and acquitted murderer O.J. Simpson‘s official cause of death has finally been revealed two weeks after his passing.
Simpson’s death was announced by his family, who noted that he was surrounded by his loved ones during his final moments.
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O.J. Simpson’s Official Cause Of Death Revealed
According to a report, Simpson died from prostate cancer. His longtime lawyer, Malcolm LaVergne, confirmed the news to TMZ.
Simpson reportedly died after spending “several months” in hospice care. Prior to his passing, the disgraced footballer slammed claims that he was in hospice care, noting that he was actually hosting a Super Bowl party for friends and family and was doing fine.
He announced that he had cancer back in May 2023 but implied at the time that he had beaten the deadly disease. However, the former athlete looked frail in photos of him using a cane in early January.
Per the news outlet, Simpson died just days after being released from hospice. He was allegedly surrounded by his family members at the time of his death.
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His Family Announced His Death On Social Media
The news of his passing shocked many due to how present he seemed to be on social media.
The former NFL star’s family announced the news on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “On April 10, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren. During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace. -The Simpson Family.”
Simpson’s once glowing legacy has since been tainted by the murder trials he faced following the death of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman.
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O.J. Simpson Denied Being In Hospice Care
Before Simpson’s death, reports claimed that he had been placed in hospice care due to his health struggles and battle with prostate cancer.
However, Simpson shut down the rumors, stating that it was untrue and that he was doing well.
“Hey, X world! Hospice? Hos-pice?! You talkin’ about hospice? No, I’m not in any hospice. I don’t know who put that out there,” Simpson said on X at the time.
He then added that “you can’t trust the media” and that he had plans to host “a ton of friends for the Super Bowl” in Las Vegas.
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He Assured Fans He Was Doing Well In His Final Social Media Post
In a video uploaded to X on February 11, Simpson discussed his health struggles and hoped to return to the golf course.
“Hey, let me take a moment to say thank you to all the people who reached out to me,” Simpson said in the short clip, which was filmed before the 2024 Super Bowl. “My health is good. I mean, I’m dealing with some issues, but hey, I think I’m just about over it, and I’ll be back on that golf course hopefully in a couple of weeks.”
The late athlete added, “But it was very nice hearing from you and those good, positive words. Thank you.”
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After talking about his health, Simpson shared his thoughts on the Super Bowl with his fans. He predicted that the San Francisco 49ers would win the game. However, the team eventually lost to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Simpson was born and raised in San Francisco, California. He began his professional football career as a player for the Buffalo Bills in the late 1960s. He eventually joined the San Francisco 49ers before the 1978 season and played for the team until his retirement in 1982.
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O.J. Simpson’s Body Was Cremated
Simpson’s lawyer, LaVergne, confirmed that the late NFL legend’s body would be cremated, including his brain. Scientists had requested for his brain to be donated for research to afford an investigation into whether he suffered from CTE.
Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a degenerative brain disease that affects many retired football players who suffered multiple concussions during their careers.
According to the news outlet, Simpson’s longtime attorney and executor Malcolm LaVergne disclosed that he had signed off on the paperwork for his cremation and that the late football star’s family gave a “hard no” to scientists asking to study his brain.
“With O.J., everything’s wild, but I’ve been getting calls from medical centers that are doing CTE testing asking me for OJ’s brain . . . that is not happening,” LaVergne said.
On Wednesday, April 17, Simpson’s body was finally cremated with no public memorial service planned for the disgraced football legend.