O.J. Simpson, the renowned former football player who gained worldwide notoriety following his highly publicized trial for the murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman, has passed away at the age of 76.
His family confirmed Simpson’s cause of death in a statement seen by ABC News.
“On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer. 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,” a statement from his family revealed.
Simpson’s health struggles have been a matter of public concern in recent years.
In May 2023, he disclosed in a video posted on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) that he had been battling cancer and undergoing chemotherapy treatment.
However, he expressed optimism, stating, “It looks like I beat it.” Later, in February 2024, reports surfaced that Simpson was once again undergoing treatment for an unspecified form of cancer, although he denied rumors of being in hospice care.
O.J Simpson’s notoriety involved his ex-wife’s murder
Known as “The Juice” during his football career, Simpson achieved remarkable success both on the field and off. However, his life took a dramatic turn following the tragic deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman in 1994. The subsequent trial, marked by sensational media coverage, captivated the nation and ended with Simpson’s acquittal in 1995.
Despite being acquitted of the murder charges, Simpson’s legal troubles continued. In 2007, he was arrested for his involvement in a botched robbery attempt in Las Vegas, resulting in a conviction for kidnapping and armed robbery. He was sentenced to up to 33 years in prison but was released on parole in 2017.
The last few months of O.J Simpson’s life
TMZ reported that O.J. Simpson appeared increasingly frail in the period leading up to his death, notably seen using a cane during an outing in January. His last social media post was a video discussing Super Bowl LVIII, where he expressed support for his former team, the San Francisco 49ers.
Despite his apparent good spirits during the video, seated in a backyard setting, Simpson acknowledged his health issues, stating, “Thanks to all the people who reached out to me, my health is good. Obviously I’m dealing with some issues but I think I’m just about over it and I’ll be back on that golf course, hopefully in a couple of weeks.”
Unfortunately, his health deteriorated in recent months, leading to his admission to hospice care.
Surviving him are his four children: Arnelle and Jason from his first marriage, and Sydney and Justin from his marriage to Nicole Brown Simpson.