Celebrity Death

Shaquille O'Neal made a bigger than life gesture for a Louisiana family that tragically lost a child in a car accident -- covering the balance of his burial service.

Phil Conrad -- a retired chief deputy officer from the Lafayette City Marshal's Office -- tells TMZ Sports ... the ex-NBA big man recently shelled out a few thousand bucks to help pay for the remaining cost of a child's funeral, this after his family came up just a little short.

Here's what happened ... a car with an adult driver and four minors ran a stop sign, then crashed into a ditch and ultimately into a tree a couple weeks ago out in nearby Breaux Bridge, LA. The crash claimed the lives of two of the kids in the back seat, 12-year-old Trayvon Alexander and 11-year-old Keshon Batiste. They were pronounced dead at the scene.

Conrad tells us Trayvon's family had insurance covering his burial in full, but young Keshon did not ... leaving his loved ones to start a GoFundMe. They still need around $4,000 to reach their goal. We're told Shaq -- who went to college in Louisiana -- caught wind of the story and hit up Phil to get downloaded on the situation.

Once Shaq heard what was needed to help Keshon's relatives, Conrad says he instantly acted ... wiring him the leftover balance immediately, and Conrad then delivered the cash to the Kinchen Funeral Home. We're told the two boys were laid to rest Saturday.

Kim Jong-un is 'alive and well' ... and you can take that to the bank, if you believe a South Korean official.

A South Korean foreign policy adviser squarely disputed various reports that the North Korean dictator's condition ranges from grave to dead.

Senator Lindsey Graham said Saturday he would be shocked if Kim was not dead or incapacitated.

A Japanese publication reported Kim's in a vegetative state after heart surgery gone wrong.

Several other reports claimed the dictator is dead.

There are numerous signs something is amiss ... Kim's personal jet has sat on a runway for way longer than normal. His train remains at a station near a resort where he and his family typically stay, but there has been no recent sign of the dictator.

Kim has not been seen -- at least publicly -- since April 11. The South Korean official who says Kim is alive says "No suspicious movements have so far been detected."

If Kim is dead, his sister would probably take the reigns until his kids grow up.

North Korea's Supreme Leader/dictator Kim Jong-un has reportedly died, or is on his death bed with no hope for recuperation -- according to media outlets in China and Japan.

Amid reports China has sent a medical team to their communist neighbors this week to check in/advise on Kim, a Hong Kong-backed news channel's vice director -- who's apparently the niece of a Chinese foreign minister -- blasted out the news herself ... he's dead. TMZ has not confirmed that.

The woman put the report on a social media app called Weibo for her nearly 15 million followers to read, citing a "very solid source" about the claim Kim had, in fact, perished. A Japanese magazine reports he's in a "vegetative state" after a heart surgery gone wrong.

The outlet reports -- citing a Chinese medical expert privy to the situation -- that Kim had clutched his chest in early April and fell down while visiting the countryside there. He needed a stent procedure done, but apparently ... it either wasn't done rapidly enough, or it was botched completely by the surgeon -- with some reports saying he had shaky hands.

There's a lot of rumors swirling about the guy's condition -- and the fact is ... he hasn't made any major public appearances looking to be okay in several weeks now. About a week or so ago, CNN reported Kim was in "grave danger" after a medical procedure.

President Trump has downplayed the reports and has refused to elaborate -- but it looks like KJU's sister, Kim Yo-jong, might be getting set up to possibly replace him as Supreme Leader ... reports say she was recently re-promoted to a prominent position of power there.

Here's another point ... Saturday marks a major military anniversary in North Korea, where they celebrate the founding of the Korean People's Army in 1932 -- something they hype annually with a parade, and one in which Kim might normally make an appearance.

International reporters on the ground say if Kim was doing alright and not on death's doorstep, he and his team would figure out a way for him to show up to squash the rumors.

If he doesn't, it's probably not a good sign ... almost all but confirming something is wrong.

Harold Reid, a member of the enormously popular country group, The Statler Brothers, has died.

Reid's family revealed Harold passed Friday from his long fight with kidney failure.

Harold was the bass singer and comic. The Statler Bros made a name for themselves by opening for Johnny Cash way back in '64. They had a super big crossover hit the next year with "Flowers on the Wall."

The group followed up with more hits, including "Bed of Roses" and "The Class of 57," which scored a Grammy.

The biggest radio hit for the group -- "Do You Know You Are My Sunshine." That song went to #1 and was followed by more #1 hits -- "Elizabeth," "My Only Love," and "Too Much on My Heart."

In all, The Statler Bros had 66 singles chart on Billboard country. Pretty amazing.

The group also ventured into TV ... they had a variety show on TNN from 1991 to 1997.

The official statement reads, "He is and will always be loved by his family, friends and millions of fans. His singing, his songwriting and his comedy made generations happy. He has taken a piece of our hearts with him."

An incredible amount of rare Kobe Bryant memorabilia is heading to auction ... and the items will help the late Lakers legend's foundation.

TMZ Sports has learned ... Goldin Auctions has made more than 50 dope pieces from Kobe's 20-year NBA career available in its Spring 2020 catalog ... from signature shoe prototypes to game-worn jerseys, to his 2000 NBA championship ring.

On top of that, there's a score sheet from Kobe's 81-point game signed by the Black Mamba himself, a jersey with Kobe and Vanessa hand-painted, and Bryant's autograph on White House stationery.

The best part?? 5% of the winning bids will go towards Kobe's Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation ... which helps young athletes learn life skills through sports.

We know, 5% doesn't sound like a lot -- but the value of Kobe memorabilia has skyrocketed over the past few months, so there could be A LOT of money raised here.

Vanessa Bryant has kept the Foundation moving in the months since Kobe, Gianna and 7 others perished in that tragic helicopter crash on Jan. 26 ... and the NBA has made a $100k donation to help the cause.

As we previously reported, the sports memorabilia community has flooded with fakes since Kobe's passing ... but Goldin Auctions assures us all of the items in their auction are certified legit.

The auction runs through May 16 ... good luck!!

Jerry Bishop -- famous for being the announcer on "Judge Judy" -- is dead.

Jerry died Tuesday of heart disease, according to the show, and Judge Judy says she's gonna miss him.

Judy remembered her longtime announcer in a statement, saying ... "Jerry Bishop has been the voice of our program for 24 years. Everybody loved him. He had a golden heart and generous spirit. I adored him and will miss him."

Jerry served as the announcer for "Judge Judy" since its first season way back in 1994, and his career spanned thousands of episodes.

Bishop was also a veteran of Los Angeles radio and his voice was beloved and recognized on the morning drive for three decades from the 1960s through the 70s. Jerry interviewed tons of celebs on radio, including Frank Sinatra, Steve McQueen and Natalie Wood.

Jerry also lent his famous voice to commercials and did some voiceover work, including 15 years as the voice of Disney Channel.

Bishop was 84.

Comedian Grandma Lee -- who cracked the top ten on Season 4 of "America's Got Talent" -- has died ... according to her family.

Lee's son, Kelly, tells TMZ ... she died Friday afternoon at her assisted living facility in Jacksonville, FL, but it was not related to the coronavirus.

Kelly says his stand-up comic mom was doing shows up until November, but after a gig in Tampa, she fell in her hotel room and broke her hip. Sadly, he says she never fully recovered.

According to Grandma's family ... she passed with her 2 sons holding her hands after spending the past few days reading texts from friends and Facebook posts. They say there will be a service celebrating her life once COVID-19 conditiions allow for it.

Her family adds ... "Heaven just got a whole lot funnier."

Grandma Lee gained popularity in 2009 when she competed on 'AGT' and made it to the finale before being eliminated.

She said at the time that her material is based on truth, adding ... "I go up there and wing it ... but I had to clean it up for the show."

She was 85.

Dimitri Diatchenko -- famous for his role in "Chernobyl Diaries" is dead ... TMZ has learned.

Dimitri was found dead Wednesday at his home in Daytona Beach, FL ... the actor's brother tells TMZ. We're told Dimitri's death was not related to the novel coronavirus, and there are no signs of foul play.

Dimitri's family says they had not heard from him in a few days, so they called police Wednesday for a wellness check, and that's when his body was discovered. The fam believes Dimitri died late Monday night or early Tuesday morning.

Our law enforcement sources tell us the coroner's office has Dimitri's body. We're told the cause of death is pending the medical examiner's investigation.

Dimitri's family is blindsided by his passing, because they say he was healthy and in good shape.

Dimitri is best known for playing Uri in "Chernobyl Diaries," and his other acting credits include roles in "Get Smart" and "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull."

He was 52.

Juice WRLD's family has dropped a posthumous track from him, and its lyrics sadly foreshadow his eventual demise.

The late rapper's family dropped "Righteous" Thursday night and the track goes into extreme detail about his heavy drug use and the state of his mental health. Juice WRLD was never one to hold back his feelings, so it's no surprise the new song is so brutally honest.

His opening lyrics are proof Juice was more than ready to open up: "I know that the truth is hard to digest (yeah). Five or six pills in my right hand (yeah). Codeine runneth over on my nightstand. Taking medicine to fix all of the damage. My anxiety the size of a planet (oh). Holes in my skull over time. My heart's over ice (whoa) ... we may die this evening. Coughing, wheezing, bleeding."

Juice also talked about feeling like he was drowning with "my demons 10 feet under me. Inhale, exhale, but I can't breathe. Too busy drinking codeine, doing high speeds ... take a pill for the thrill, have a relapse."

This isn't the first time Juice has appeared prophetic. In his 2018 track "Legend," Juice had lyrics that included, "What's the 27 club? We ain't making it past 21."

Child actor and Hollywood heir Jason Davis's cause of death was fentanyl ... according to the Medical Examiner.

L.A. County Medical Examiner documents show Jason died from the "effects of fentanyl." No other factors are listed in the report ... but it does say it was an accident.

TMZ broke the story ... Jason was found unresponsive in his bathroom on February 16. Law enforcement sources at the time told us there were items nearby that were consistent with heroin or opioid use ... including burnt tin foil and other paraphernalia.

Based on the ME's report ... the opioid would be fentanyl, and not heroin.

Jason -- known in Hollywood as the voice of Mikey Blumberg on the long-running Disney Channel show, "Recess" -- had battled addiction in the past. In 2011, he was busted and charged for allegedly having heroin on him. Those charges were eventually dropped.

He went on to co-found a charity called Cure Addiction Now, an org he was heavily involved with running. The voice actor was also known for being the grandson of the late Hollywood billionaire moguls, Marvin and Barbara Davis.

Jason was 35.

RIP

Tarvaris Jackson lost control of his car while doing 70 in a 30 MPH zone -- slamming into a signpost and crashing into a ditch, this according to the police report obtained by TMZ Sports.

The former NFL quarterback was fatally injured in the April 12 crash in Montgomery, Alabama around 8:50 PM.

According to the police report, the road where Jackson crashed was not well lit -- and he lost control while going around a bend.

When emergency personnel arrived at the scene just a few minutes after the crash, Jackson was "unable to give a reason why he crashed his vehicle."

The 36-year-old was transported to a nearby hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

The report also says Jackson was not tested for alcohol or drugs at the scene.

Officials also note Jackson WAS wearing his full shoulder and lap seatbelt at the time of the crash.

It was also noted the roadway way dry and the conditions outside of the poor lighting were normal.

They seem to blame the crash on Tarvaris driving at a "high rated speed."

Jackson was laid to rest of over the weekend -- but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, mourners inside the church were limited to groups of 10 or less.

Former Playmate Ashley Mattingly -- a domestic violence victim at the hands of Lane Garrison, who struggled with substance abuse -- is dead ... TMZ has learned.

Ashley's sister, Christy, and twin brother Billy tell us she took her own life Wednesday at her home in Austin, Texas and she left a suicide note.

We're told Ashley was found unresponsive Friday after a friend called the Austin Police Department for a wellness check after Ashley went radio silent. We're told police took the note as part of their investigation.

Ashley's family tells us she had been living in Austin for the past two years, and she was struggling with substance abuse. We're told she had demons and battled alcohol abuse, but she was trying to get her life back on track.

The shelter-in-place order in Texas did not help Ashley, her family says, even though Ashley recently adopted a 9-month-old golden retriever puppy to help with her loneliness. We're told the pup, Miss Jean, is now with Ashley's family.

As we reported ... Ashley, who was Playboy's Miss March in 2011, was charged with DUI back in 2016 after allegedly plowing her golf cart into 4 parked cars while she was wasted.

As you know ... Ashley was a victim of domestic violence. Lane, her ex-boyfriend, was convicted of domestic battery in 2012.

The last time we saw Ashley, back in 2015, she seemed to be in good spirits.

Ashley's relatives also tell us they're thankful her friend called police for the wellness check ... and they hope her story can raise awareness about suicide.

Ashley was 33.

Tom Lester -- best known for playing Eb Dawson on the '60s sitcom "Green Acres" -- has died of complications from Parkinson's Disease ... TMZ has learned.

We're told the longtime actor died Monday morning in Nashville at the home of his fiancee and longtime caregiver, Jackie.

After moving to Hollywood from Mississippi in the mid-60s, he began acting in plays and soon landed an audition for the Eb character on "Green Acres." He beat out 400 other actors for the part, as the story goes, because he was the only one who could milk a cow in real life thanks to his farming background.

Along with starring as the young farmhand on the show for all 6 seasons, Lester appeared on its sister series "Petticoat Junction" and also had a few crossover guest spots as Eb on "The Beverly Hillbillies."

After "Green Acres" ... Tom went on to land supporting roles in 2 popular animal movies -- "Benji" in 1974 and "Gordy" way later in 1994. He also had a guest spot on "Knight Rider" in the '80s.

Lester's last acting credit's for a 2014 comedy called "Campin' Buddies."

He was the last surviving regular cast member of "Green Acres."

Tom was 81.

It's been 3 years since convicted murderer Aaron Hernandez killed himself in his prison cell -- but his fiancee is still showing love.

Shayanna Jenkins posted a throwback photo on April 19 -- showing the ex-NFL star holding their then-newborn daughter roughly 8 years ago.

"The love between father and daughter knows no distance," Jenkins wrote ... "We think of you today. May you Rest in Peace and continue to watch over us!"

Of course, not everyone remembers Aaron as a loving family man -- in fact, many know him as a bloodthirsty, unstable maniac.

Remember, Hernandez was convicted in the 2013 shooting death of Odin Lloyd -- and Aaron was also accused of murdering two other people in Boston in 2012.

In fact, it was April 19, 2017 -- only 5 days after he had been acquitted in the double-murder case -- that he hanged himself in his prison cell at the Souza Baranowski Correctional Center in Mass. Hernandez was 27-years-old.

Some people think Hernandez took his own life to exploit a loophole in the legal system which would require officials to throw out the Odin Lloyd murder conviction, forcing the Patriots to pay out the remaining cash on his contract to Jenkins.

In fact, Hernandez left a suicide note for Jenkins saying, "You're rich!"

The families of four of the victims who perished in the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, have filed wrongful death lawsuits themselves -- this after Vanessa Bryant has already gone after the chopper company in court.

The surviving members of the Altobelli family and Mauser family -- the remaining two Altobelli children and Christina Mauser's husband, her son and 2 daughters, respectively -- claim the Island Express's negligence was reason for the death of their loved ones.

In both suits -- obtained by TMZ -- the surviving family members claim Island Express negligently and carelessly breached its duty to own, lease, manage, maintain, control, entrust, charter and operate the helicopter in question in a reasonable manner.

They claim as a direct result of this negligent behavior by the company, their loved ones died in the crash -- which has caused an insurmountable amount of anguish on every level -- physical, emotional, mental and otherwise ... for which the families want damages, both over their own turmoil, but also for what their loved ones could have earned themselves if they had survived the crash and continued to work.

As Vanessa Bryant's wrongful death lawsuit ... when we looked into it appeared Island Express might very well go bankrupt because her damages are so enormous. Their insurance policy will only cover so much.