Paul O’Grady’s cause of death and desperate health battles as final moments revealed

In Paul O’Grady’s final moments, bittersweet details have surfaced two years after his death. Prior to his passing, the late broadcaster had a number of serious health issues, including several heart attacks.

Intimate details about Paul O’Grady’s final moments have emerged, exactly two years on since the TV personality’s tragic death. The beloved broadcaster, who previously doubted whether he’d make it to 60 or not, died “unexpectedly but peacefully” on March 28, 2023 at the age of 67.

With today marking the second anniversary of his death, Paul’s husband André Portasio marked the milestone by sharing a heartwarming video of the late star that was filmed just moments before his passing. In the video, Paul appeared in great spirits as he thanked his fans for reading one of his books. Sadly, just 20 minutes after filming the clip, he died.

Posting the clip to Instagram, Andre wrote: “It’s incredible how our minds can shield us from the pain of loss in moments of shock. Today, my iPhotos reminded me of a lost video I recorded of Paul just 20 minutes before he sadly passed – what became the last recording he ever made to camera.

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You see him as the sincere person he was in this bittersweet moment, showing his gratitude to everyone for funding his book, which he recorded for an event he couldn’t attend. It’s hard to believe his passing has occurred two years ago. He spends the entire day surrounded by his devoted dogs. @paulogrady, we miss you dearly. Happy birthday, heaven-seekers! #paulogrady. “

Paul’s official death certificate confirmed he’d died from sudden cardiac arrhythmia, which, according to the British Heart Foundation, usually occurs when an untreated abnormal heart rhythm, known as an arrhythmia, leads to a cardiac arrest.

Heart disease ran in Paul’s family, with his mother Mary and father Patrick once both suffering heart attacks in the same week. Tragically, Patrick’s proved to be fatal, while Mary later died of a separate attack. As his final moments have been revealed, The Mirror takes a look at the icon’s long battles with his health…

Three heart attacks before the age of 65

Paul, a 47-year-old man, had several heart attacks while he was an adult. The first one occurred in 2002.

The shock health scare prompted Paul to make some significant lifestyle changes, giving up booze and ramping up his exercise routine as he began confronting the idea of his own mortality.

I grew up overnight, Paul once said to the Daily Express. I’ve been toeing the line ever since, and it really did shake me. I’ve just sort of snoozed up. Last month, I had no alcohol on my birthday. I’d no longer be able to neck ten pints of cider, as it used to be. The discomfort is not worth it.

“I once believed I could be invincible, but I’m running out of lives right now.” I’m not at all afraid of dying… I’m worried about how you pass away, that’s the fear.

Unfortunately, Paul experienced a second, more severe heart attack in 2006. Paul was given blood-thinning medication and left feeling like a “wreck” after going through tests and having surgery to open an artery.

Speaking with the Mirror at the time, Paul shared: “I’m like a broken toy – I’m f****d. I think I should really just be taken out and shot.

It’s fair to say that I’m not performing at my best. I’ve had so many blood tests that my arms look junkie. You wouldn’t even recognize me. Days pass without feeling particularly tired. My blood is so thin and the tablets cause me to cough a lot, which causes a huge bruise when I bang myself on the sofa. I’m a total wreck.

This second attack occurred almost a year after Brendan Murphy, 49, Paul’s ex-partner and manager, tragically passed away from brain cancer. Paul continued, “The doctor said that a trauma like that would put a lot of pressure on my heart, and it’s not unusual for something to happen a year later.”

Paul suffered a second heart attack in 2014, calling himself “a human version of the Titanic, always avoiding icebergs.”

Paul told the Daily Star, “My cardiologist thought I should have a pacemaker, so he sent me to the specialist,” after receiving a clean health bill in 2021. I had the ECG and all of that, but the doctor said, “You don’t need the pacemaker.” Keep doing whatever you’re doing,”

Nearly fatal virus

On top of the issues with his heart, Paul nearly died from kidney failure while filming for For the Love of Dogs: India in 2017. The keen animal lover had been playing with wounded street dogs when he contracted a virus that left him vomiting and seriously dehydrated.

With his signature wit, Paul told the Mirror in 2018: “Getting ill was my own fault. They said to me, ‘Keep off the streets, it’s Delhi’. But I was lying in the gutter with these two gorgeous little puppies.

You forget that I’m hand-feeding them and spitting maggots from a rat bite, and of course I must have even touched my mouth or face. You don’t get squeamish when you work with animals.

I’m still vomiting at five in the morning. I’m still at it at ten in the evening. They called the doctor, who informed them that you were going in because you were so dehydrated. Your white blood cells are going bad, and you’re going to have renal failure, they told me when I first went there.

Paul was taken to the hospital where he spent just one night on the wards, where he was being treated for saline and antibiotics, but after one more night he was discharged, he decided to return to work.

Long Covid issues

Paul was forced to miss two months of work because of Covid-19 because he was so severely affected by it. He claimed in the Mirror, “I escaped Covid until last year, and I caught it.” I was extremely ill, so I didn’t think much of it.

I was shocked at how bad I was when it wiped me out. After it, I spent about two months getting over it. My breath had vanished. On the way home from the pigs, I would have to sit down two or three times, wheezing.

The Blankety Blank star’s cardiologist advised him because he was concerned for his health and worried that he might never recover. Paul spent the summer of 2022 recovering at his farm in Kent after being identified as a long Covid victim by subsequent x-rays.

Paul once said, “I slept all night. I’d go downstairs, get up, and then go to sleep for four more hours before going out. It was very strange for me to get up, drink a cup of tea, and then go back to bed the next day. Simply put, I disliked it. Never have I ever had such a bad night’s sleep. Even after all the jabs, I was done.

I’m over it now, but once I thought, “Is this ever going to end?” Will I ever experience recovery and a decrease in fatigue? It wasn’t pleasant.

“Great love” of smoking

Paul would joke that he had two great loves: “Benson and Hedges,” and that he had an cigarette addiction. The TV star, who would smoke 40 cigarettes per day, once remarked, “I’ve always said I have two great loves, Benson and Hedges, so it’s not been easy to quit.”

“But I believe my heart problems are congenital, despite smoking, which hasn’t improved. It caused the deaths of my parents.

You have no idea how well-versed I have in the gym, swimming, long walks, soya milk. I believe I’ve given myself up on Jersey full-fat milk for the past few months.

Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com. Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads.

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Source: Mirror