The cause of death for longtime The Ellen DeGeneres Show executive producer Matthew Wright has been revealed.
Wright died Oct. 30 in Los Angeles at age 52. According to a death certificate obtained by People, his cause of death was cardiopulmonary arrest, with hypertension listed as the underlying cause. Obstructive sleep apnea and Class II obesity were also listed as contributing conditions.
Wright’s family launched a GoFundMe page seeking support.
“His husband, father, sister and niece are in New York, desperate to be reunited for a proper goodbye. We’re asking for all of his friends, who Matt loved so fully, to help the family at this time,” reads the fundraiser description. “As many of you know, Matt & Justin were both laid off this summer. And the unexpected costs of getting Matt home, a funeral and a memorial are impossible for the family to bear.”
Earlier this week, Ellen DeGeneres shared an emotional Instagram video remembering Wright.
“He was an amazing guy. He was funny. God, he made me laugh. He would surprise me with things that he did all the time. He was smart. He was kind. He was the part of our show that — I mean, everyone loved him. I loved him. And it’s just shocking,” she said. “We’re gonna miss him. He is and always will be the glue to our entire family at The Ellen Show.”
DeGeneres also reflected on Wright’s close friendship with former Ellen DJ Stephen “tWitch” Boss, who died in 2022, saying she believes the two are now together again, “dancing and laughing.”
Andy Lassner, who also worked with Wright on Ellen, shared a tribute to him on Instagram, revealing that he had seen Wright just hours before his death.
“We are all in shock. He was a brilliant producer and an even better human being,” Lassner wrote. “My heart breaks for his husband, Justin, his family, and all of us who loved him. I was so lucky to work beside Matt for so many years and to call him my friend. We should have had so much more time with him.”
Wright spent 16 years working on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, joining the daytime talk show in 2006 and remaining with it until its conclusion in 2022. During his tenure, he rose through the ranks to become an executive producer. He is also a nine-time Emmy winner.
Original Article on Hollywood Reporter