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Comedian and Full House star Bob Saget, who was found dead in a Florida hotel room a month ago, died of a head injury, his family says.
The 65-year-old star was on a comedy tour when his sudden death emerged – just hours after he had finished a show in Orlando.
Saget was found dead in his room at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Grande Lakes on January 10 after his worried family asked security to check on him because they could not reach him.
“Mr Saget was ‘cold to the touch, yellow and clammy’,” a police report from the day stated.
“He checked for breathing and a pulse but none were detected.”
There had been speculation about the cause of his sudden death, including if it was related to a bout of COVID he suffered in December. But on Thursday (Australian time), his grieving family confirmed they had been told what led to it.
“The authorities have determined that Bob passed from head trauma. They have concluded that he accidentally hit the back of his head on something, thought nothing of it and went to sleep,” the statement said.
“No drugs or alcohol were involved.”
Saget’s family – who include widow Kelly Rizzo and daughters Aubrey, 34, Lara, 32, and Jennifer, 29, from his first marriage – said they had been “overwhelmed with the incredible outpouring of love from Bob’s fans, which has been a great comfort to us and for which we are eternally grateful”.
“As we continue to mourn together, we ask everyone to remember the love and laughter that Bob brought to this world, and the lessons he taught us all: To be kind to everyone, to let the people you love know you love them, and to face difficult times with hugs and laughter,” the statement said.
Earlier, Ms Rizzo told Good Morning America that Saget was apparently in good health prior to his death, and his COVID case “was not anything serious”.
An autopsy was completed by the Orange County Medical Examiner in Florida the day after he died found “no evidence of drug use or foul play”.
Chief medical examiner Joshua Stephany said further studies into the cause of Saget’s death might take up to 12 weeks to complete.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office released a death investigation report, obtained by CNN, in which is said there were no signs of foul play in the comedian’s “orderly” hotel room.
“Now that we have the final conclusions from the authorities’ investigation, we felt it only proper that the fans hear those conclusions directly from us,” the family’s statement said.
Saget played widowed father Danny Tanner on Full House from 1987 to 1995, and also on a sequel called Fuller House from 2016 to 2020.
In the show, Tanner shared his home with his three daughters, his brother-in-law and best friend.
He also hosted America’s Funniest Home Videos from 1989 to 1997.
-with agencies
