Bill Paxton‘s cause of death has been confirmed as a stroke following an “aortic aneurysm” during a “valve replacement,” according to a death certificate obtained by TMZ.
The film and TV star went into surgery to undergo valve replacement on Feb. 14 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Complications arose while attempting to correct the heart condition when his aorta ruptured, causing a stroke. He died on Feb. 15 at age 61.
“It is with heavy hearts we share the news that Bill Paxton has passed away due to complications from surgery,” a representative for the family said in a statement. “A loving husband and father, Bill began his career in Hollywood working on films in the art department and went on to have an illustrious career spanning four decades as a beloved and prolific actor and filmmaker.”
The Texas-born actor appeared in films like “Titanic,” “The Terminator,” “Aliens,” the 1993 Western “Tombstone,” 1996’s “Twister” and as astronaut Fred Haise in 1995’s “Apoll0 13” — for which he shared a SAG Award for best ensemble.
He also earned three Golden Globe nominations playing the patriarch of a bigamist Utah family in the HBO series “Big Love” and scored an Emmy nod for his work in the miniseries “Hatfield & McCoys.”
