New autopsy report shows Leslie Jordan died from sudden cardiac dysfunction
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Leslie Jordan died of "sudden cardiac dysfunction" caused by arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to a new report by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner obtained by NBC News.
Jordan died in a car accident at age 67 on Oct. 24. The medical examiner's report stated that beloved “Call Me Kat” star veered his car into another vehicle and then collided into a building. Paramedics pronounced Jordan dead at the scene.
An autopsy of Jordan's body revealed moderate to severe atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease with approximately 80% stenosis of the left anterior descending artery, 50% stenosis of the left circumflex artery, and 20% stenosis of the right coronary artery.
A toxicology report was negative for both alcohol and drugs. The manner of Jordan's death has been classified as natural.
The report noted that the presence of more than 70% occlusion of any coronary artery greatly increases the risk of a sudden cardiac event.
The medical examiner's report comes just two weeks after country music superstar Dolly Parton bid a surprise farewell to Jordan in an emotional video tribute that aired during the Jan. 5 winter premiere of “Call Me Kat.”
Parton, 77, sang a few lines from the song “Where the Soul Never Dies,” which she and Jordan recorded together for Jordan’s 2021 album “Company’s Comin,” before telling the late "Will & Grace" star how adored he was.
“You left a lot of people here with a lot of precious, precious memories. Everybody loved you, but I doubt many of them loved you more than I did,” said Parton.
“You made us happy while you were here, and we’re happy that you’re at peace,” she noted.
The episode also featured the sitcom's star, Mayim Bialik, honoring Jordan by wearing the late actor’s rainbow-striped sneakers during filming.
Many more of Jordan's famous friends will celebrate his life and career during a special event called "Reporting for Duty: A Tribute to Leslie Jordan" at the Grand Ole Opry on Feb. 19.
Among those scheduled to honor the late actor and comedian are Bialik, former "Big Bang Theory" star Jim Parsons, comedian Margaret Cho, Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder, and country music stars Maren Morris and the Brothers Osborne.
CORRECTION (Jan. 19, 2023 at 8:30 p.m. ET): An earlier version of this story incorrectly spelled Mayim Bialik's last name. It has been updated with the correct spelling.
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
