11 Stars Gone Too Soon: Actors Lost to Everyday Medical Conditions

Lisette Marie

9. Gene Wilder: The Quiet Fight with Alzheimer's Disease

cropped view of retired couple sitting near wooden cubes with alzheimer letters. Photo Credit: Envato @LightFieldStudios

The whimsical and brilliant Gene Wilder, celebrated for his roles in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory and Mel Brooks comedies, died in August 2016 at 83 from complications of Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that gradually destroys memory and thinking skills. Wilder's family revealed he had been battling the disease for several years, choosing to keep his diagnosis private. His passing brought increased awareness to the widespread impact of Alzheimer's on individuals and families, underscoring the growing global challenge of dementia and the quiet struggles faced by those living with the disease.

10. Bill Paxton: The Aftermath of Aortic Aneurysm

Bending suffering elderly man gasp for breath clutching chest, suspected cardiac episode at home. Photo Credit: Envato @Dimaberlin

Bill Paxton, the versatile actor known for Twister, Aliens, and Apollo 13, died in February 2017 at age 61 due to complications from aortic aneurysm surgery. An aortic aneurysm is a bulge in the aorta, the body's largest artery, which can be life-threatening if it ruptures. While surgery is often performed to repair them, it carries inherent risks, especially in complex cases. Paxton's unexpected death highlighted the silent nature of aneurysms and the serious, though sometimes unavoidable, complications that can arise even from procedures designed to correct common, but critical, cardiovascular conditions.

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9. Gene Wilder: The Quiet Fight with Alzheimer's Disease

10. Bill Paxton: The Aftermath of Aortic Aneurysm

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