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Raquel Welch's cause of death revealed: Legendary actress battled Alzheimer's disease in final years

Raquel Welch's Alzheimer's diagnosis was not made public before her death, however, the discovery of her death certificate has made it known
UPDATED APR 4, 2023
Raquel Welch died on February 15, 2023 (Christopher Polk/Getty Images for CDG)
Raquel Welch died on February 15, 2023 (Christopher Polk/Getty Images for CDG)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The legendary actress, Raquel Welch, will forever remain in everyone’s memory. According to her recently released death certificate, Welch died from a cardiac arrest after an unspecified fight with Alzheimer's disease.

After what was at the time referred to as a "short illness," the renowned actress and global sex icon died in Los Angeles on February 15 at the age of 82. The actress' Alzheimer's diagnosis was not made public before her death, however, TMZ's discovery of her death certificate has subsequently made it known.

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UNDATED FILE PHOTO: Actress Raquel Welch.
Actress Raquel Welch in her early days (Diane Freed/Getty Images)

A shocking goodbye

The progressive brain ailment, causing the degenerative condition, eventually erodes the sufferer's cognitive abilities and capacity to do even the most elementary tasks. There is no known treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. As reported, Welch's heart failure while at home in southern California was mentioned as another contributing cause, along with cardiac arrest.

American actress Raquel Welch at a Royal Film performance.
Raquel Welch at a Royal Film performance. (George Freston/Fox Photos/Getty Images)

The actress had had a career spanning more than 50 years, with appearances on both the big and small screens, and it had culminated in several prestigious award victories. For her performance in 'The Three Musketeers' in 1974, she received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Motion Picture Actress in a Musical or Comedy. Further, Welch also appeared in ‘Bewitched', ‘Seinfeld', and ‘McHale's Navy' among her many other TV roles. Her filmography also includes ‘The Three Musketeers’, ‘The Last of Sheila’, and ‘100 Rifles’.

Farewell Welch

The news of her death was confirmed by her longtime business manager, Steve Sauer. The actress is survived by her son Damon and daughter Tahnee. Additionally, At the time of her death, celebrities from all over the world paid tribute to the diva. Reese Witherspoon was one of them and expressed her sorrow on Twitter after learning of Welch's tragic death.

Actor Raquel Welch attends Barneys New York Celebration of the Farrah Fawcett Foundation at Barneys New York Beverly Hills on May 11, 2017 in Beverly Hills, California.
Raquel Welch attended Barneys New York Celebration of the Farrah Fawcett Foundation at Barneys New York Beverly Hills on May 11, 2017 in Beverly Hills, California (Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Barneys New York)

Witherspoon wrote, "So sad to hear about Raquel Welch’s passing. I loved working with her on Legally Blonde. She was elegant , professional and glamorous beyond belief. Simply stunning. May all her angels carry her home." Further, Viola Davis posted her own sincere message on Instagram, writing: "It was a pleasure to meet you! You were ageless to me….iconic… Rest well Raquel Welch!!'

Welch was praised for "being so sweet and so humorous" by Eugenio Derbez, who co-starred with her in her final movie, 'How To Be A Latin Lover', released in 2017. Let's also recall that Welch had back-to-back lead parts in 'One Million Years B.C.' and 'Fantastic Voyage' in 1966, the year she first rose to fame as a worldwide sex icon.

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