The Details We Know About O.J. Simpson's Final Days
The April 2024 death of former NFL star O.J. Simpson came as a shock to many. Though reports in February suggested the convicted felon was undergoing chemotherapy after a prostate cancer diagnosis, he quickly denied rumors that he was in hospice. After his death, a trickle of reports provided insight into Simpson's final days — and he was apparently surrounded by friends and family.
According to TMZ, sources told the outlet that "close friends" flew to Las Vegas during the week leading up to his death to say their goodbyes to the actor. The friends allegedly knew that the 76-year-old — who was communicating with no issues — was nearing the end and were able to reminisce with him. Another TMZ report said that 30 to 50 friends and family members visited him during his final days. The outlet's sources allegedly said all of the former football star's four children were by his bedside, including Sydney and Justin, whom he had with ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson. O.J. Simpson was notoriously acquitted of the double murder of Nicole and her friend, Ron Goldman (though he was later found liable by jurors in a 1997 civil trial).
The outlet said a medical professional told his family Friday — just under a week before his death the following Wednesday — that O.J. Simpson was nearing death, prompting them to visit him before he died. TMZ claims that everyone who visited him in his home — even medical staff — had to sign NDAs and were not allowed to have their phones with them in his room.
'Incredibly frail and virtually unrecognizable'
Another TMZ report claimed that O.J. Simpson was "incredibly frail and virtually unrecognizable" in his final days and was unable to get out of his bed by himself. The prostate cancer — which was not in remission at all — allegedly took its toll on his health in the 11 months before his death. Sources reportedly told the outlet Simpson was frequently at the hospital in the six months before his death and at one point caught pneumonia before entering hospice care two weeks before his death. He reportedly slept a lot and "was in and out of consciousness."
In a May 2023 video on X (known as Twitter at the time), Simpson said he had caught cancer in recent years and completed chemotherapy. "It looks like I beat it. I'm happy about that," he said. Two months before his death, in February 2024, he posted another video to X in which he denied the rumors he was in hospice care — though he did not address the report from the same day that claimed he was diagnosed with cancer and undergoing chemotherapy.
Final message
O.J. Simpson posted his final video message on X on February 11, 2024, over Super Bowl LVIII weekend. "What a beautiful day it is here in Las Vegas," he said. "Even though the game is indoors, it wouldn't have mattered. But still, it's nice to have a beautiful day like this. Let me take a moment to say thank you to all the people who've reached out to me. My health is good. Obviously, I'm dealing with some issues but hey, I think I'm just about over it and I'll be back on that golf course hopefully in a couple of weeks."
Simpson predicted a 24-20 win by the San Franciso 49s, with wide receiver Deebo Samuel taking MVP (or quarterback Patrick Mahomes if the Kansas City Chiefs won). The Chiefs ended up winning 25-22, and Mahomes took MVP.
The final statement on Simpson's X account was made by his family and announced his death. "He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren," it read. "During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace."