KISS co-founder Ace Frehley’s cause of death has been confirmed as blunt trauma injuries after a fall at his New Jersey home.
The cause of death for KISS guitarist Ace Frehley has been officially confirmed.
According to PEOPLE and TMZ, a report from the Morris County, New Jersey Medical Examiner determined that Frehley died from “blunt trauma injuries” following an accidental fall at his home in Morristown last month.
Medical staff discovered that Frehley had also suffered a stroke in connection with the incident. Doctors attempted a hemicraniectomy, a procedure aimed at relieving pressure caused by the hematoma, but the surgery was unsuccessful.
The KISS founding member was placed on life support with a brain bleed shortly after the fall, and his family later made the decision to remove him from the ventilator. He passed away on October 16, aged 74.
In 1972, Frehley answered a Village Voice ad that led him to Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, and Peter Criss. the lineup that would soon form KISS. His fiery solos and signature style helped shape the band’s sound and identity throughout the 1970s as he stepped into the role of the Spaceman.
Following the news of his passing, his former KISS bandmates shared tributes honouring his life and legacy. Simmons and Stanley shared their joint statement with The Hollywood Reporter, paying tribute to their former bandmate and his legacy. The statement reads that the two are “devastated by the passing of Ace Frehley. He was an essential and irreplaceable rock soldier during some of the most formative foundational chapters of the band and its history. He is and will always be a part of KISS’s legacy. My thoughts are with Jeanette, Monique and all those who loved him, including our fans around the world.”
Simmons later shared another message online, writing, “Our hearts are broken. Ace has passed on. No one can touch Ace’s legacy. I know he loved the fans. He told me many times. Sadder still, Ace didn’t live long enough to be honored at the Kennedy Ctr Honors event in Dec. Ace was the eternal rock soldier. Long may his legacy live on!”
In a seperate statement, Peter Criss (KISS’ very own Catman) shared his own tribute to the rock legend. “With a broken heart and deep, deep sadness, my brother Ace Frehley has passed away. He died peacefully with his family around him. My wife and I were with him to the end as well,” it reads.
“I love you, my brother. My love and prayers go out to Jeanette, Monique, Charlie and Nancy and all of Ace’s extended family, bandmates, fans and friends. May the Lord comfort you at this difficult time. As a founding member of the rock group KISS and in Ace’s solo career, Ace influenced and touch the hearts of millions of people. His legacy will live on in the music industry and in the hearts of the KISS Army. At this time I ask all of you to please be respectful to Ace’s family and allow them to grieve privately. To the KISS Army and Ace’s Rock Soldiers, my heart is with you all… Broken… God Bless.”
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