John Ritter’s tragic passing in 2003 due to a torn aorta following treatment for a heart attack has resurfaced as his widow, Amy Yasbeck, emotionally shared the details of his last hours during a wrongful death case against two doctors involved in his care.
The iconic figure from the 1970s sitcom Three’s Company was rushed to a Burbank, California hospital after falling ill on the set of Eight Simple Rules…for Dating My Teenage Daughter.
Yasbeck revealed that she received a call summoning her to the hospital, where she was informed that Ritter required an angiogram to address the heart attack.
Facing the critical decision, Ritter expressed his wish for a second opinion to Dr. Joseph Lee, who was overseeing his treatment, as recounted by Yasbeck during the court proceedings in Glendale, California.
However, Dr. Lee insisted there was no time to spare, citing the urgency of the heart attack.
In a heartbreaking testimony, Yasbeck recounted how she tried to provide comfort and encouragement to her husband in his moment of distress.
She recalled leaning in close to him, reassuring him of the expertise of the medical team, and witnessing his display of courage throughout the ordeal.
Expressing her overwhelming grief, Yasbeck described the poignant moment when she silently mouthed “I love you” to Ritter as he was wheeled into further medical procedures.
Subsequently, a doctor delivered the devastating news to Yasbeck that Ritter’s aorta had suffered significant damage, marking a grim turn in the unfolding tragedy.
The heart-wrenching account continued as Yasbeck narrated the harrowing experience of being informed by a surgeon, alongside Ritter’s first wife, Nancy Ritter, that despite the efforts to save him, Ritter had succumbed to his condition.
The irreversible nature of the situation was conveyed with the phrase “it was a fait accompli,” leaving the loved ones to grapple with the sudden loss.
The impact of Ritter’s untimely death reverberated through the testimonies, with both Yasbeck and Nancy Ritter underscoring the profound absence felt by their children in the wake of his passing.
Yasbeck poignantly shared the daily struggle of her daughter, Stella, who was only five at the time of Ritter’s demise, emphasizing the enduring void left by his absence.
The wrongful death lawsuit, seeking $67 million in damages, implicates a radiologist who had previously evaluated Ritter’s aorta as healthy in a scan conducted two years prior.
This legal battle follows settlements reached with the hospital and several other medical personnel amounting to approximately
