By Sameer Suri and Brian Marks for Dailymail.com 04:01 March 02, 2024, updated 04:15 March 02, 2024
Legendary comedian Richard Lewis' official cause of death was revealed on Friday when his death certificate was released.
Lewis died Tuesday evening at the age of 76 after reportedly suffering a heart attack while battling Parkinson's disease.
Three days later, a copy of his death certificate obtained by The Blast listed the cause of death as “cardiopulmonary arrest.”
Parkinson's disease, which caused Lewis to retire from stand-up after his diagnosis in April 2023, was named as his secondary cause of death.
The news broke after Lewis' widow expressed her appreciation for the numerous “loving tributes” from his fans in a social media post on Thursday.
Legendary comedian Richard Lewis' official cause of death was revealed on Friday when his death certificate was released; Pictured in 2011, Lewis died on Tuesday evening at the age of 76 after reportedly suffering a heart attack while battling Parkinson's disease
Joyce Lapinsky, who married the stand-up star in 2005, shared a post from her late husband's account on X (formerly Twitter).
It came just hours after the Curb Your Enthusiasm star reportedly died of a heart attack at home at the age of 76.
“This is Joyce, Richard's wife.” “Thank you for your loving tributes,” she wrote. “He would be beyond thrilled and so touched, just like me.”
Many of Lewis' fans tried to make donations in his honor to spread the word about his kindness and positive influence on friends like Jamie Lee Curtis, so his widow shared with them how they could honor his life and work.
“In response to the many requests, I know that Richard would appreciate donations in his memory to the Los Angeles-based charity Comedygivesback.com or the charity of your choice,” she added.
Comedy Gives Back is a registered charity that provides support to financially struggling comedians, including payments to cover insurance premiums and rent.
In addition, it advertises itself as helping comedians find and pay for mental health treatment and offers a service that gives uninsured, low-income comedians an alternative to health insurance.
Comedians also have access to addiction services and the Charity Boats, which offer weekly 12-step meetings in Los Angeles as well as hold meet-ups and comedy festivals for comedians on the road.
Joyce Lapinsky (r), Lewis' widow, shared a message with his fans on his X account on Thursday after he died of a heart attack at the age of 76; Seen in LA in 2018, she thanked fans for their “loving tributes” and said Lewis “would be beyond thrilled and touched, as was I.” She urged fans to donate to Comedy Gives Back, a charity he runs supported
The organization held an important place 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 flooded with donations listed in honor of the Latino comedian.
Lewis had spoken openly over the years about his decades-long battle with alcohol and drug addiction.
He cited 1994 as the year he finally got sober after being hospitalized for a cocaine overdose.
That year, his friend John Candy also died of a heart attack at the age of 43 after years of struggling with drug and alcohol abuse.
Lewis spoke openly about his decades-long battle with drug and alcohol addiction. He got sober in 1994 after being hospitalized for a cocaine overdose; Spotted in NYC in 2015 Lewis and Lapinsky met at a party for Ringo Starr in 1998 and began dating soon after. The two got engaged in 2004; seen in LA in 2018
Lewis had starred alongside Candy in his last film, the western comedy “Wagons East.” The script had to be extensively rewritten, and a body double had to be used for scenes that were not filmed during production before Candy's death.
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 dating or married to Lapinsky most of the time.
The future couple met in 1998 when they both attended an album release party for Ringo Starr.
In an interview with Paul Freeman in 2010, Lewis revealed that a mutual friend had tried to set the two up years earlier when he appeared with Jamie Lee Curtis on the sitcom Anything But Love, but Lapinsky had turned her down because She thought he was “crazy” back then.
But after working on his addiction issues, she was more open-minded when they met in 1998.
“I assumed she was Italian and 33 years old,” Lewis recalled of their first significant meeting. “She said, ‘Let’s nip this in the bud. I'm 42. I'm a Jew from Minnesota. So if that bothers you… And if kids are an important thing…” She was like she was reading my mind.”
It was a chance meeting for Lewis as he said he was in a position to “finally commit to someone.”
Lewis recalled his therapist yelling at him, “This is as good as it gets!” after he brought Lapinsky to his session to express his concerns about the relationship. They married in 2005; seen in LA in 2018
“I met the right woman at the right time,” he added.
The couple continued to be together for several years and only became engaged in 2004, after Lewis took Lapinsky to one of his therapy sessions, where he said his therapist shouted, “This is the best thing ever!” after expressing some of his concerns about of the relationship.
The lovebirds married in 2005 and Lapinsky was with Lewis until the end.
According to the New York Post, before his death, Lewis changed the standard mortgage on his home to an assignment of rent trust deed, which would make it easier for her to remain in her home without him.