'Power Rangers' star Jason David Frank was found hanged in hotel bathroom hours after argument with wife
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AUSTIN, TEXAS: 'Power Rangers' star Jason David Frank was reportedly found hanged in a hotel bathroom hours after an alleged argument with his wife Tammie, who called the authorities after becoming concerned for his safety.
Law enforcement sources revealed that the father-of-four, 49, from Houston, and his wife had checked into separate rooms at the Texas hotel last Friday, November 18. The tragedy befell after Tammie, to whom Jason had been married since 2003, had filed for divorce earlier this year after accusing the actor of adultery. The actor was previously married to Shawna Frank from 1994 to 2001.
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Police sources told TMZ that the pair got into a heated argument in Tammie's room at some point, and the situation was de-escalated with the help of hotel staff. However, the couple allegedly had another war of words late Friday night or early Saturday morning, November 19, before the embattled father locked his wife out of his room. Tammie is said to have alerted the police at around 5 am Saturday morning out of concern for his safety. Responding officers failed to make contact with Jason from outside. When they were let into his room by staff, the tragic star was found hanged in the bathroom.
"Please respect the privacy of his family and friends during this horrible time as we come to terms with the loss of such a wonderful human being," a rep for Jason said in a statement, adding, "He loved his family, friends, and fans very much. He will truly be missed." The actor's family is yet to make a statement at the time of publication. He is survived by his four beloved children, namely Hunter, Jacob, Skye, and Jenna.
Frank shot to prominence after playing Tommy Oliver on the first run of the 'Mighty Morphin Power Rangers' show, which debuted in 1993. Fans paid tribute to the star, endearingly known as JDF, from across the globe. Walter Jones, who played the original Black ranger next to Jason, wrote, "Can't believe it .... RIP Jason David Frank. My heart is sad to have lost another member of our special family."
Speaking to People, Jones said Jason was "an inspiration to so many people. His presence will be dearly missed." He added, "He had a wild sense of humor. We had our share of ups and downs, but I stayed consistent about being an ear if he needed one. My prayers go out to his family and all that will miss him. May he rest in Power." Professional wrestler Iron Sheik tweeted, "RIP JDF YOU THE REAL LEGEND BUBBA I LOVE YOU FOREVER #RIPLEGEND."
RIP JDF YOU THE REAL LEGEND BUBBA I LOVE YOU FOREVER #RIPLEGEND pic.twitter.com/jJbflaJE2v
— The Iron Sheik (@the_ironsheik) November 20, 2022
JDF was reportedly dealing with issues in his marriage prior to his death. Tammie, his wife of nearly two decades with whom he shares an 18-year-old daughter, filed for divorce earlier this year after accusing him of infidelity, per divorce documents. She reportedly also sought the couple's Texas home and car in the split, and listed the date of their separation as July 1, 2022. The 57-year-old stated that the marriage was no longer functional due to discord and conflict between them and cited Jason's alleged "cruel treatment" toward her as the reason why she could no longer live with him. Jason was reportedly served the divorce papers while attending a Comic Con event in Texas.
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Jason was first introduced as the Green Ranger in Season 1 of the show. He was initially positioned as an enemy of the Rangers before his character turned a leaf. While he was originally set for just a 14-episode run, his character became so popular that JDF was brought back as a full-time Ranger. After his powers as a Green Ranger deteriorated, he was turned into White Rager and would become the new leader of the superhero group. The actor starred in the children's series for three seasons, totaling 123 episodes. That said, JDF also reprised his role in the franchise's movies, in which he portrayed Red Ranger, Black Ranger, and Green Ranger again.
Jason was trained in a number of martial arts, including MMA, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Taekwondo. In fact, he had a brief stint as a professional fighter from 2008 to 2010. He later opened up a training studio in Houston, called Rising Sun Karate, where he taught Toso Kune Do (or Way of the Fighting Fist). JDF's final film, 'Legend of the White Dragon', is set to be released next year. The late star had revealed earlier this year that he was retiring from the Power Rangers franchise for good, according to the Daily Mail.