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Documents Reveal Ray Liotta's Cause of Death Nearly a Year After His Unexpected Passing: Report

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On May 26, 2022, Ray Liotta passed away on location in the Dominican Republic while shooting “Dangerous Waters.”

Nearly a year later, according to TMZ, his fans now know the cause of death: fluid in his lungs that prevented his getting sufficient oxygen to his bloodstream, and heart failure.

TMZ said it had obtained documents from unnamed “officials” in the Dominican Republic that showed that “the actor’s manner of death was categorized as natural and nonviolent … citing respiratory insufficiency, pulmonary edema — aka fluid in his lungs — and acute heart failure.”

The outlet also said that the documentation showed Liotta to be suffering from atherosclerosis, which the Mayo Clinic defines as “buildup of fats, cholesterol and other substances [i.e., plaque — Ed. note] in and on the artery walls.”

“Atherosclerosis symptoms usually don’t happen until an artery is so narrowed or clogged that it can’t supply enough blood to organs and tissues,” according to the Mayo Clinic. “Sometimes a blood clot completely blocks blood flow.

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“The clot may break apart and can trigger a heart attack or stroke.”

The Emmy winner was 67 when he died, and left behind fiancée Jacy Nittolo and Karsen, his 23-year-old daughter.

Nittolo was with him in the Dominican Republic when he died, Page Six reported.

He was perhaps best known for his role as mobster Henry Hill in the 1990s biographical movie “Goodfellas.” He died in his sleep, Deadline reported at the time.

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Onlookers who had seen Liotta in Los Angeles in March, two months prior to his death, said they noticed that he looked “noticeably pale” and “needed help from the valet putting on his jacket,” the U.K.’s Daily Mail reported.

A source told the outlet that Liotta was “slow and steady on his feet” and his 46-year-old fiancée was helping him ferry the bags from the car to the hotel.

The son of Italian immigrants, Liotta was born December 18, 1954, in New Jersey, where he had been raised by his adoptive parents, Mary and Alfred Liotta.

He studied acting at the University of Miami, where he graduated in 1978 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts.

After his graduation, Liotta played in several lesser-known movies before getting a gig in director Martin Scorsese’s “Goodfellas.”

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Liotta’s role in “Goodfellas” was a significant breakthrough in his acting career that propelled him to roles in other major films, most notably “Cop Land,” “Corrina Corrina,” “Operation Dumbo Drop,” “Unforgettable,” “Wild Hogs” and “Blow.”

He was also the voice actor behind Tommy Vincetti in Rockstar Games’ video game “Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.”

Despite the tough-guy roles he portrayed on camera, Liotta told People in a November interview that he had “never been in a fight at all, except for during sports, and that’s just pushing and goofy kid stuff.”

The status of Liotta’s last film, “Dangerous Waters,” is still in question, according to Showbiz CheatSheet.

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George Upper is the former Editor-in-Chief of The Western Journal and was a weekly co-host of "WJ Live," powered by The Western Journal. He is currently a contributing editor in the areas of faith, politics and culture. A former U.S. Army special operator, teacher and consultant, he is a lifetime member of the NRA and an active volunteer leader in his church. Born in Foxborough, Massachusetts, he has lived most of his life in central North Carolina.
George Upper, is the former editor-in-chief of The Western Journal and is now a contributing editor in the areas of faith, politics and culture. He currently serves as the connections pastor at Awestruck Church in Greensboro, North Carolina. He is a former U.S. Army special operator, teacher, manager and consultant. Born in Massachusetts, he graduated from Foxborough High School before joining the Army and spending most of the next three years at Fort Bragg. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees in English as well as a Master's in Business Administration, all from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He and his wife life only a short drive from his three children, their spouses and his grandchildren. He is a lifetime member of the NRA and in his spare time he shoots, reads a lot of Lawrence Block and John D. MacDonald, and watches Bruce Campbell movies. He is a fan of individual freedom, Tommy Bahama, fine-point G-2 pens and the Oxford comma.
Birthplace
Foxborough, Massachusetts
Nationality
American
Honors/Awards
Beta Gamma Sigma
Education
B.A., English, UNCG; M.A., English, UNCG; MBA, UNCG
Location
North Carolina
Languages Spoken
English
Topics of Expertise
Faith, Business, Leadership and Management, Military, Politics




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