Catherine O’Hara’s Cause of Death Revealed
Catherine O’Hara, the beloved actress known for her iconic roles in films like “Home Alone” and the television series “Schitt’s Creek,” died on January 30th at her Los Angeles home at age 71, after a short illness. The cause of death has now been confirmed as a pulmonary embolism with underlying rectal cancer, according to a report from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The details emerged nearly two weeks after O’Hara’s passing, following speculation about her health. A certificate of death obtained by TMZ indicated the pulmonary embolism – a condition where a blood clot blocks an artery in the lungs – was the direct cause, while rectal cancer was listed as an underlying condition. This news brings closure to fans who mourned the loss of a comedic talent who left an indelible mark on television and film.
Emergency services were called to O’Hara’s residence around 4:48 a.m. On the morning of her death, and she was transported to a hospital in critical condition. Her representatives initially stated she was facing a “brief illness” without providing specifics.
According to reports cited by Page Six, the actress had been hospitalized the night before her death.
The revelation of the medical certificate clarifies earlier, incomplete reports circulating after her death. O’Hara’s husband, production designer Bo Welch, received her cremated remains, with whom she had been married since 1992.
O’Hara recently reprised her role as Delia Deetz in the sequel to “Beetlejuice.”
Macaulay Culkin, who starred alongside O’Hara in “Home Alone,” was among those who publicly honored the actress following her death.
