Autopsy Confirms James Gandolfini Died of a Heart Attack

Tributes continue for the late Sopranos star, who died on vacation in Rome

Published on June 21, 2013 09:40AM EDT

An autopsy on the body of the late actor James Gandolfini confirms The Sopranos star died of a heart attack.

“Today we received the results of the autopsy, which stated he died of a heart attack, of natural causes,” the actor’s spokesperson, Michael Kobold, told reporters on Friday. “The autopsy further states that nothing else was found in his system.”

“We are all devastated by this loss,” he said. “James was a devoted husband, a loving father of two children, a brother and cousin you could always count on. We thank you for the privacy you have afforded us during this difficult time.”

Gandolfini, 51, was discovered by his son Michael in distress in a bathroom of their hotel room in Rome around 10 p.m. Wednesday. The son, 13, called hotel staff and they called an ambulance. Doctors from the Umberto 1 hospital, who Reuters said were set to announce official autopsy results on Friday, worked on the actor for 40 minutes but could not resuscitate him.

He had been on a vacation with his son before he was slated to attend the closing ceremonies of the Taormina Film Festival on Saturday in Sicily. According to Kobold, before he died, Gandolfini had “a wonderful day. He visited The Vatican and had dinner at the hotel with his son awaiting the arrival of his sister.”

Gandolfini’s sudden death shocked Hollywood, where actors took to Twitter and social media to eulogize the screen and stage actor as a singular talent and regular guy who loved his work.

A New Jersey restaurant, Holsten’s, where the final scene of The Sopranos was shot in 2007, put up a “reserved” sign at the booth where the actors sat in tribute to Gandolfini as fans dropped by the makeshift memorial to show their respects.

More James Gandolfini Coverage:
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• James Gandolfini Dies at Age 51
• ON EW.COM: Tony Soprano’s 15 Best Quotes
• Edie Falco Remembers James Gandolfini’s ‘Tremendous Depth and Sensitivity’
• Remembering James Gandolfini: Famous Fans Mourn the Actor Online

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