O.J. Simpson's friend reveals heartbreaking details of his final days: "He wasn't the same..."
Apart from his NFL achievements, OJ Simpson is best remembered for the 1995 murder trial, where he was accused of killing his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman. While millions watched the TV coverage of the trial, hoping that justice would be served, surprisingly, Simpson was acquitted. However, things took a drastic turn for once-celebrated stars as he struggled in his final days. The former NFL star died from cancer on April 10, 2024, and after his death, a close friend disclosed that Simpson wasn't himself weeks before death.
Simpson, who passed away at 76, was a regular at John McKibben’s Las Vegas restaurant, the Grape Street Cafe, Wine Bar & Cellar, as per People. He would visit the place at least once a week for his favorite cocktail. The restaurant’s owner and chef, McKibben, shared about Simpson's regular visits, saying, "He would have his 'ritual' Bombay gin martini." He further shared that Simpson often came with friends or sat alone at the bar, engaging with staff or greeting those who approached him. "He would have one or two drinks and then call it a day," McKibben adds.
However, when Simpson visited in early March, 2024, McKibben noticed a change. "He had a cane. His physical well-being was not the norm," he recalls. It was then that Simpson revealed his cancer diagnosis to McKibben, which also became their last meeting. "It was the first time he ever said anything about it," said McKibben, who had known Simpson since 2017. Simpson did not disclose the type of cancer or when he was diagnosed. "He could have had it for a year," McKibben notes.
McKibben sensed the gravity of the moment as he said, "I had this feeling that this could be the last time I was going to see him." On April 11, 2024, the Simpsons' family announced his death the day before, i.e., April 10, leaving McKibben stunned. McKibben, then also acknowledged that some patrons disapproved of Simpson's presence at his restaurant due to his past. "Some would say, 'How could you let him in this restaurant?'" he recalls.
On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer.
— O.J. Simpson (@TheRealOJ32) April 11, 2024
He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren.
During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace.
-The Simpson Family
However, he insists that most people welcomed him. "But 95 percent of people loved him. They would come in and say hi to him. Everyone wanted to shake his hand. He talked to everyone." McKibben first met Simpson on October 1, 2017, the day he was released on parole after serving nine years in prison. "I was in the back when someone came in and said OJ Simpson came in," he noted. Recalling about their first meeting, McKibben further shared, "I was like, 'What are you talking about?' I came out and shook his hand and said, 'Hey, I'm John.'" Over the years, the two became friends, bonding over football and golf on TV and even celebrating holidays together.
Notably, in 2007, Simpson led a group of men into a Las Vegas hotel to reclaim what he alleged was his own sports memorabilia at gunpoint, as per ABC News. He was subsequently charged with multiple felonies, including kidnapping and armed robbery. In 2008, he was found guilty and sentenced to up to 33 years in prison. Despite being denied a new trial in 2013, he was granted parole on some charges due to good behavior. In July 2017, Simpson was granted full parole, with his earliest release date set for October 1, 2017. On that day, at age 70, he was released from Lovelock Correctional Institute in Nevada.