Hollywood star Raquel Welch’s death aged 82 on February 15 sent the world into mourning, and almost two months on from the tragic news, her cause of death has been revealed.
According to a death certificate obtained by TMZ, Welch died of cardiac arrest, and the document also lists Alzheimer’s disease as a condition that led to her cause of death.
When Welch’s death was confirmed by her longtime manager Steve Sauer in February, he said she died “peacefully” after suffering from a “brief illness.”
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”The legendary bombshell actress of film, television and stage, passed away peacefully early this morning after a brief illness,” a statement obtained by multiple outlets read at the time.
“Her career spanned over 50 years starring in over 30 films and 50 television series and appearances. The Golden Globe winner, in more recent years, was involved in a very successful line of wigs. Raquel leaves behind her two children, son Damon Welch and her daughter, Tahnee Welch.”
Welch first rose to fame for her roles in Fantastic Voyage and One Million Years B.C. – which made her an unforgettable pinup girl – both of which were released in 1966.
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In the following decade, she took home the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy for her role in the 1974’s The Three Musketeers.
Aside from her acting, Welch was also known for her remarkable beauty.
She was named one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in Film History in a 1995 issue of Empire magazine and was also ranked number three in Playboy‘s 100 Sexiest Stars of the 20th Century.
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Playboy founder Hugh Hefner once said: “Raquel Welch, one of the last of the classic sex symbols, came from the era when you could be considered the sexiest woman in the world without taking your clothes off, she declined to do complete nudity, and I yielded gracefully, the pictures prove her point.”
Of her sex symbol status, however, Welch revealed: “I was not brought up to be a sex symbol, nor is it in my nature to be one.”
“The fact that I became one is probably the loveliest, most glamorous and fortunate misunderstanding,” she said in a previous interview.
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