Brittany Murphy’s chilling last words before her death at 32 is just heartbreaking: "Mom, I am..."
The entertainment industry was stunned by Brittany Murphy's sudden death in 2009 at just 32. According to LA County Coroner Assistant Chief Ed Winter, her death was attributed to untreated pneumonia, anemia, and drug intoxication from prescription and over-the-counter medications. However, there were no illegal substances detected in her body, as reported by People. Following her untimely death, Murphy's husband, Simon Monjack—who died just five months later—shed light on her final conversation, which was nothing short of heartbreaking.
Monjack emotionally recounted Murphy’s final moments on 'Larry King Live' in February 2010, revealing her heartbreaking last words to her mother, Sharon Murphy, as per Yahoo Entertainment. "That morning she woke up. She couldn't breathe," Monjack said. "She went out to get some air. Sharon followed her out. She said, 'Mom, I'm dying. I love you.'"
In HBO Max’s documentary 'What Happened, Brittany Murphy?, which premiered on October 14, 2021, new details emerged about Murphy's final conversations. Her mother-in-law, Linda Monjack, recalled a chilling exchange with the actress shortly before her death. "I'm having trouble breathing… (When) I get to the top of the stairs, I can't breathe,'" Linda remembered Murphy saying. She then asked, "Do you think I'm dying?" to which Linda reassured her, "No, of course you're not dying. You're fine, but you need to go to the doctor."
The documentary further raises lingering questions about why the actress didn’t seek medical treatment despite feeling seriously ill. Even fingers were pointed at Murphy's husband, Monjack, when his former fiancée, Elizabeth Ragsdale, suggested that he may have been responsible. Ragsdale said, "Even if he did not kill Brittany Murphy—he allowed her to die because he did not get her to the doctor and get her help." Director Cynthia Hill described Monjack as "a disturbed individual who was used to conning people," calling Murphy "one of his last victims."
Murphy's death was heartbreaking, but speculation has long surrounded its mysterious circumstances. Concerns grew when Monjack refused an autopsy, with actress Kathy Najimy admitting in 'What Happened, Brittany Murphy?', "We all were scared and freaked out." The tragedy took an eerie turn when Monjack died just months later under strikingly similar circumstances, only adding to the lingering questions, as per US Magazine.
Even today, Murphy’s death remains a mystery. Dr. Lisa Schein, who performed the 'Clueless' actress’s autopsy, continues to raise questions, told US Weekly, "I think that’s why people just don't let it go." While Scheinin stands by her report that Murphy’s death was accidental, she also believes it was preventable. Citing excessive prescription drug use, including 90 bottles, some under third-party names found at her bedside, were severely misused. Dr. Scheinin revealed that Murphy’s severe anemia, caused partly by heavy periods, could have been easily treated. "All she needed was to have gone to a doctor,” she explained, adding that Murphy’s red blood cell count was so low it was "practically incompatible with life."