Brian Wilson’s cause of death has come to light, two weeks after the musician best known for shaping the sound of the Beach Boys died at age 82.
Wilson died June 11 reportedly of respiratory arrest, according to his death certificate obtained and published Thursday by TMZ. The death certificate shows Wilson also died of sepsis and cystitis (inflammation of the urinary bladder). He also suffered multiple health issues — neurogenerative disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, chronic respiratory failure and chronic kidney disease — before his death. Wilson died more than a year after it was revealed he was placed under a conservatorship due to declining cognitive health in May 2024. For decades, Wilson battled mental health issues and drug addiction.
A representative for Wilson did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment on Thursday.
Wilson’s family announced the musician’s death in a somber post shared to Facebook, Instagram and his website. “We are at a loss for words right now.” The cause of death was not revealed at the time.
His loved ones continued: “Please respect our privacy at this time as our family is grieving. We realize we are sharing our grief with the world.”
As news of Wilson’s death spread, other music luminaries including Elton John, the Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood, Bruce Springsteen, and Mick Fleetwood paid tribute on social media. California Gov. Gavin Newsom also honored Wilson and his role in creating the California sound with hits including “Surfer Girl,” “California Girls” and “Wouldn’t It Be Nice.”
“Wilson fundamentally changed modern music, helping make the Beach Boys not only the defining American band of their era, but also the California band to this day,” Newsom said in a statement. “He captured the mystique and magic of California, carrying it around the world and across generations.”
Wilson’s death certificate also reveals that he was laid to rest a week after his death at Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park and Mortuary.
Wilson died more than a year after his wife Melinda’s death in January 2024. She was 77. He is survived by six children, including daughters Carnie and Wendy, who made up two-thirds of the Grammy-nominated pop vocal group Wilson Philips. He is also preceded in death by his brother Dennis, who drowned in 1983 while diving in Marina Del Rey, and Carl, his other brother, who died of lung cancer in 1998.
Former obituaries editor Steve Marble contributed to this report.
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