Celebrity Death

Tragic news ... the Tampa Bay Rays announced Tuesday bullpen catcher Jean Ramirez died unexpectedly this week. He was just 28 years old.

No further details surrounding his passing were provided.

"He brought so much passion and energy each day to our clubhouse and bullpen, and his love for the Rays and baseball was evident to all who interacted with him," Rays manager Kevin Cash said.

"Jean will be deeply missed."

Added former Rays superstar pitcher Blake Snell, who won a Cy Young in Tampa, "Man this one hurts."

Ramirez was picked by the Rays out of Illinois State Univ. in the 28th round of the 2016 MLB draft ... and he went on to play catcher in the team's minor league system for 3 seasons.

Ramirez then joined the big league club as its bullpen catcher in 2019 -- and had said his ultimate goal was to move up in the ranks and one day manage a roster in The Show.

"He exuded so much joy in all he did, and his kind heart was truly a gift to all," Rays' president of baseball operations Erik Neander said.

"As we process this unexpected and difficult loss, we are grateful for the times we shared with Jean."

Bob Saget's final comedy show was a mixed bag of highs and lows that was chock-full of gratitude for what he loved most ... entertaining people

Murray Beard -- who was at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall in Jacksonville, where Saget performed Saturday night -- tells us he remembers Bob being absolutely thrilled to be on stage in front of audiences again ... something Beard says he mentioned time and again throughout his 2-hour set.

One thing Beard remembers well ... Bob's energy, which was very, very high. From his eye, nothing seemed off about Bob's demeanor.

Michelle Johnson, who was also at the show, backs up Beard's observations ... she adds Bob was a bit all over the place with his feelings, going from jubilant to pensive in a flash.

She says, yes, he did express how happy he was to be performing again ... while also repeatedly going back to the topic of comedians who'd passed away. While she didn't mention a name, you gotta imagine Bob talked about Norm Macdonald, who died last year. The two of them were super close.

3x Olympic track star, Deon Lendore has tragically died after a three-car crash in Texas, TMZ Sports has confirmed.

He was only 29.

The Texas Department of Public Safety tells us Lendore was driving westbound on FM 485 in Milam County in his 2015 Volkswagen Jetta on Monday, when it crossed over the center line and "sideswiped a vehicle" coming the opposite way.

Lendore continued and drifted over the center line again crashing into a 2018 Infiniti SUV head-on.

Texas DPS says Lendore was pronounced dead at the scene and the driver of the Infiniti, a 65-year-old woman, was transported to the nearby hospital with "incapacitating injuries".

The driver that was sideswiped suffered no injuries.

The Trinidadian sprinter competed in 3 Olympics -- including the 2020 Tokyo games -- and won the bronze medal in the 4x400 meter at the 2012 games in London.

Lendore also won silver in the World 4x400m in 2015 and is a three-time world indoor bronze medalist.

He's also a multi-time champ at Texas A&M and was currently a volunteer coach for the 400 and 800-meter student-athletes.

Several track stars reacted to the tragic news on social media, 2x Olympian Gwen Berry wrote, "Wow... Rest in Power."

"One thing I learned last year was the importance of LIVING," Berry said, "do what you want… deal with what you want… love who you want. Don’t DIE just to LIVE.  You LIVE then DIE.. I’ve been happier ever since."

PUMA also released a statement, saying "We are deeply saddened by the passing of Deon Lendore, who has been a part of the PUMA Family since 2017."

"We are honored that he had chosen us to be by his side for a large part of his successful track & field career. Our thoughts are with his family. Rest in peace."

Bob Saget's cause of death might not be determined for weeks, but law enforcement working the case see signs pointing to a sudden medical emergency -- specifically a heart attack or stroke ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... authorities involved in the investigation say the position in which Bob's body was found, and a lack of evidence supporting drug use or foul play are the main reasons they suspect a heart attack.

TMZ broke the story ... Bob was found in his Ritz-Carlton Orlando hotel room by security. Cops say the comedian was lying face-up on the bed, with his left arm across his chest, and his right arm lying beside him. We're told the hand on the chest could point to a heart attack.

Our sources say authorities are exploring Bob's revelation last week that he'd recently battled COVID-19. Developing blood clots has been reported as a possible complication from the virus.

Of course, we're told a final cause can't be determined until the medical examiner gets Bob's toxicology results. The Orange Co. M.E.'s Office says it could take 10-12 weeks to complete.

Saget performed a standup show in Jacksonville Saturday night before making the 2-hour trek to Orlando.

Jimmy Kimmel remembered Bob Saget Monday night ... in an emotional monologue that left him in tears.

Jimmy broke down as he reminisced about Bob ... describing his friend as "the sweetest man" as he gave us a glimpse into his character ... “He always had a compliment. He’d write sometimes just to tell me he loved me and I know he did that for many people … He had something funny to say about everything and nothing bad to say about anyone."

He read one of Bob's emails, reflecting on their families and kids ... "One night soon let’s go out and have some meat and some good damn drinks and talk about how lucky we are that we have them."

Saget was 65 when he died in his hotel room Sunday in Orlando. As we reported, although the cause of death will not be known for several months, investigators say there is evidence Bob might have died from a heart attack or stroke.

Jeremy Piven is having a hard time grasping the fact he'll never see Bob Saget again ... telling us he'd just reached out to his friend and former costar days before his sudden death.

We got the 'Entourage' star leaving The Henry Monday in L.A., and asked how he will remember Saget, who once worked with him on the hit HBO series.

Jeremy says Bob was a rare breed in comedy ... a sweet, kind man who also had a serious edge to his humor, and never felt too big to mentor others.

TMZ broke the story ... Bob was found dead Sunday in the Orlando Ritz-Carlton hotel, the day after performing about 2 hours away in Jacksonville.

Jeremy says it's all very surreal because he had just tried to get in contact with Bob a few days ago, but had not heard back from him. You can see it in the video, he's still struggling to wrap his head around the loss.

Bob was 65, but Jeremy says he had a "vibrant spirit" ... telling us it's making his death even more shocking and confusing. As for the torrent of love and support from people in show biz -- Jeremy says it's proof of Bob's real impact on fellow celebs.

Bob Saget's family was desperately trying to get a hold of him, not knowing he'd died in his hotel room -- and cops are now painting a more complete picture of what they found there.

An Orange County Sheriff's Deputy noted in his official report that Bob was discovered by a Ritz-Carlton Hotel security staffer who'd been sent to the room on the Saget family's request ... after they'd made several unsuccessful attempts to reach him Sunday.

In the docs, obtained by TMZ, the deputy notes this staffer knocked on Bob's door multiple times before going in around 4 PM ET ... only to find all the lights off. Upon entering the bedroom, they found Bob lying face-up on the bed, with his left arm across his chest and right on the bed.

The staffer says he was cold to the touch ... and when they checked for signs of breathing or a pulse, none was detected.

Upon arriving, EMS personnel pronounced Bob dead on the scene.

Another interesting tidbit, the Ritz was able to pinpoint that Bob had last entered the room at 2:17 AM. He was scheduled to check out later that same day. He tweeted this message and photo shortly before that, at 12:42 AM, showing himself onstage in Jacksonville ... about a 2-hour drive from Orlando.

The deputy points out there were no signs of foul play or trauma. Bob's next of kin was listed as his wife, Kelly Rizzo, who was notified about his death.

Don Maynard -- one of the greatest wide receivers in NFL history -- died on Monday, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced. He was 86 years old.

No cause of death was revealed.

"Our Pro Football Hall of Fame family mourns the passing of Don Maynard," Hall of Fame president Jim Porter said. "He was a resilient man on and off the field -- and someone that his teammates could always count on."

Maynard -- who was drafted by the New York Giants in 1957 and played for several pro teams in his football career -- is most known for his incredible run with the Jets' franchise.

In his 13 seasons with the team -- spanning from 1960-1972 -- Maynard logged over 11,000 receiving yards and 88 receiving touchdowns. He also helped the Jets win Super Bowl III -- the famous Big Game that Joe Namath guaranteed a win in.

Maynard meant so much to the Jets, the team eventually retired his number.

He was ultimately inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1987.

Betty White died from a stroke ... a stroke she suffered nearly a week before she passed ... TMZ has learned.

Betty's cause of death is listed as a cerebrovascular accident, according to her death certificate, which is a loss of blood flow to part of the brain, resulting in brain tissue damage.

It's interesting ... the certificate, obtained by TMZ, says Betty suffered the stroke 6 days before her death.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Betty was alert and coherent after the stroke, and she died peacefully in her sleep at home.

A cerebrovascular accident can be caused by blood clots or broken blood vessels in the brain.

TMZ broke the story ... Betty passed away at her home on the final morning of 2021 ... less than 3 weeks before she would have celebrated her 100th birthday.

Betty's birthday -- January 17 -- will still see the debut of a movie honoring the milestone, "Betty White: 100 Years Young -- A Birthday Celebration" ... and it features tons of stars, including Ryan Reynolds, Tina Fey, Robert Redford, Lin Manuel-Miranda, Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Jay Leno, Carol Burnett, Craig Ferguson, Jimmy Kimmel, Valerie Bertinelli, James Corden, Wendy Malick and Jennifer Love Hewitt.

Meanwhile, in her Illinois hometown, Jan. 17 will be a celebration dubbed "Betty White Day."

Robert Durst -- who was serving a life sentence for the murder of his friend, Susan Berman, after appearing to confess about it during the filming of the HBO documentary 'The Jinx' -- has died.

Durst's attorney says he died Monday morning of cardiac arrest ... though he had also recently been battling bladder cancer, among other life-threatening health issues. Durst's attorney says he was pronounced dead at San Joaquin General Hospital.

Of course, Durst recently came down with COVID-19 ... and was placed on a ventilator as a result. This came after he was found guilty by a jury of his peers, and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

As we reported ... he'd been in and out of court over the past few years for his murder trial following a 14-month break due to the pandemic. He had been accused of shooting Berman in the head at her Bev Hills home in December 2000 ... allegedly because she may have had deets about the mysterious death of his wife, Kathie, who disappeared in 1982.

You'll recall Durst was busted in 2015 just weeks after "The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst" started airing on HBO ... prompting the LAPD to reopen the Berman case.

The miniseries explored bizarre and disturbing allegations against Durst and why he was alleged to have been involved in the deaths of Susan and Kathie. The doc also dove into how he was acquitted for the murder of a Texas neighbor in 2001.

The jaw-dropping moment came at the end of the documentary when Durst was caught on a hot mic seemingly confessing to the murders saying, "What the hell did I do? Killed them all, of course." Durst had thought his mic was turned off after excusing himself to use the bathroom.

Durst was born on April 12, 1943. His father was a wealthy New York real estate mogul and Durst, the eldest son, was the heir to that empire worth over a billion bucks. He married then-20-year-old Kathie in 1973.

A decade later ... Durst reportedly told police he dropped off Kathie at a train station in upstate NY in Westchester County and claimed he never saw her again. He reported her disappearance several days later.

Durst moved to Texas in 2000. A year later ... a torso was found and cops found garbage bags that had human limbs and other items connected to the building where Durst lived.

He was charged for the murder of his neighbor but he skipped a court date and was on the run. Authorities found him in Pennsylvania but he was ultimately found not guilty and acquitted in 2003.

Ryan Gosling portrayed Durst in the 2010 film "All Good Things." Following the release of that film, Durst hit up a filmmaker to pitch the documentary that eventually became 'The Jinx,' which aired on HBO in 2015.

Bob Saget wasn't just "America's Dad," he filled that role in the stand-up comedy community too, always going above and beyond for fellow comics ... according to Adam Carolla.

The comedian and radio personality joined us Monday on "TMZ Live" and talked about Bob's legacy ... the one that was going on behind the scenes at comedy clubs across the country. As Adam put it, "Comedy attracts a lot of broken toys, sometimes ... but it also attracts some really interesting, deep, loving people. And, Bob was just one of them.”

Bob and Adam have a history of performing at the same stand-up events ... Bob also appeared on Adam's podcast "The Adam Corolla Show". And, though Bob's death is a huge, huge loss in comedy and television, Adam says, in a way, he will live on forever.

"I was listening to his last podcast today, hearing his voice as if he was still here ... and I thought in a weird way ... do you really die anymore?” He said in this day and age with podcasts, hours of shows tweets etc., "In a way, you can go back and get to know Bob Saget all over again".

Tributes are still pouring in for Bob from folks like D.L. Hughley, who we ran into at LAX. He reminisced about the last time he saw Bob -- coincidentally they were on their way to Orlando and both staying at the Ritz hotel ... where Bob would eventually die.

Bob Saget's recent bout with COVID-19 was fresh on his mind not too long before he died ... this according to the late comedian himself.

BS appeared on a podcast called "A Corporate Time with Tom & Dan" just last week and revealed he had already caught the 'rona. He wasn't specific about exactly when, but it sounded kinda recent, considering he was humorously debating whether he had omicron or delta.

Check it out ... Bob describes the virus as "not good," and cracks some jokes about which strain he might've had. He also explained what it was like performing comedy during the pandemic, saying audiences would often be dwindled down by at least half.

Eerily, he also jokingly said he might die from COVID.

Another topic brought up here is Bob's friend, Norm Macdonald, who died last year from cancer. He said there's dignity in the way NM handled his diagnosis, keeping it secret from almost everyone he knew.

Bob actually sounded ill on the phone, which the hosts noted once he left the chat. It's not clear if he was still under the weather while on the road there in Florida -- this podcast was recorded just after the New Year.

We've reached out to Saget's reps for clarification on when he had COVID, but no word back yet.

Bob Saget has died at the age of 65 ... TMZ has learned.

Multiple sources connected to the iconic comedian and actor -- most famous for his starring role as Danny Tanner in 'Full House' -- tell us he passed away Sunday at the Ritz-Carlton in Orlando.

The Sheriff's Department and the fire department responded to the hotel around 4 PM ET ... after hotel security had found Bob in his room. We're told he was pronounced dead on the scene, but the circumstances of his death are still unclear.

Bob's been touring the country lately, hitting a lot of destinations throughout the state of Florida, including in Orlando, which got started in September and was supposed to take him through May.

On Saturday night, he was in Jacksonville doing a show at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall ... where he actually shouted out the crowd early Sunday morning.

Saget wrote, "Loved tonight’s show @PV_ConcertHall in Jacksonville. Appreciative audience. Thanks again to @RealTimWilkins for opening. I had no idea I did a 2 hr set tonight. I’m happily addicted again to this shit. Check http://BobSaget.com for my dates in 2022."

Saget played the patriarch on the hit ABC sitcom for almost 10 years, landing the lead star role in 1987 and finishing out its first iteration in '95 -- opposite stars John Stamos, Dave Coulier, of course ... not to mention his TV daughters, Candace Cameron, Jodie Sweetin as well as Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, who swapped the duties of portraying Michelle.

While his turn as the quintessential family man is what a lot of people will remember him for -- truth is, Saget was a pretty raunchy guy ... especially in his stand-up comedy. BS's comedy contributions were put on full display in his memorable Comedy Central roast ... where a ton of his longtime comic buddies tore him a new one, kiddingly and with love.

He proved to be a good sport ... taking shots from the likes of Gilbert Gottfried, Norm Macdonald, Greg Giraldo, Jon Lovitz, Jeff Ross, Brian Posehn and others. He even had some jokes of his own to fire off ... making for perhaps one of the most memorable roasts in the Comedy Central vault -- speaking to Saget's influence on the craft.

In addition to his stand-up and 'Full House' fame ... Saget will also be remembered as a fan fave on "America's Funniest Home Videos," of which he served as host from '89 to '97, running concurrently with his time/tone on 'FH.' Speaking of Mr. Tanner ... he reprised his role for Netflix's reboot of the franchise, "Fuller House," which ran for 4 years and ended in 2020.

Bob's other notable acting credits include ... a recurring role on 'Entourage,' in which he played a zany version of himself, the narrator's voice of 'How I Met Your Mother,' another sitcom he starred in called 'Raising Dad,' one of the penguins in "Farce of the Penguins," the lead in "Surviving Suburbia," and a standout cameo in 'Half Baked' as a recovering crack head ... among many, many other appearances on film and television over the years.

Lately, he's been getting back to his roots with a podcast series called "Bob Saget's Here for You," and was even featured as one of the celebrity guests on the "Masked Singer" not too long ago.

The last time we got him out was in late 2019, when he was laughing it up with fans and paps outside of Craig's in West Hollywood ... while also taking photos and signing autographs.

He wished Jeff Ross a happy 41st birthday, and seemed to be in really good spirits.

Bob is survived by his wife, Kelly Rizzo, and 3 children.

RIP

In a sad coincidence, many of the things being said about Bob Saget today are the same things he said about Betty White as he honored the late comedic actress ... just days before he died in an Orlando hotel.

Bob reflected on the decades he'd been connected to Betty -- from the first time he saw her perform to hanging out with her -- in an IG post from December 31, the day she passed.

He wrote, "I had a small peek into what a remarkable talent and human being Betty was."

He also joked about one time when they were sipping Bloody Mary's on an ABC Jet ... "We had been laughing for hours -- I looked into her eyes and faux romantically said, 'How ‘bout it, Betty, you and me in the bathroom? Mile High Club?' She answered me before I had a chance to finish the invite -- 'Of course.'"

And, it seems eerie now, but Bob ended the post with some words on the afterlife ... "I don’t know what happens when we die, but if Betty says you get to be with the love of your life, then I happily defer to Betty on this."

TMZ broke the story ... the "Full House" star died Sunday at the age of 65. He was found unresponsive in his room at the Ritz-Carlton in Orlando. There were no signs of drug use or foul play, according to detectives.

For almost 10 years, Saget starred as Tanner on the hit ABC sitcom "Full House" ... and he also famously hosted "American's Funniest Home Videos" from '89 to '97.

Bob's death came 10 days after Betty's, who was just a few weeks shy of her 100th birthday, and was beloved around the world for her career ... most prominently as a star on "The Golden Girls" and the "The Mary Tyler Moore Show."

Tributes have been pouring in about Bob Saget, and how he touched so many lives, but few are as poignant as Pete Davidson's .. who says Bob stepped up for him during some pretty dark times.

Pete does not hop on social media -- period, but he made an exception for Bob, whom he called "one of the nicest men on the planet."

Pete wrote, "When I was younger and several times throughout our friendship he helped me get through some rough mental health stuff."

But, it wasn't just a "Hey, how ya doin'" call. Pete says Bob was genuinely concerned and wanted to help ... "He stayed on the phone with my mom for hours trying to help in anyway he can -- connecting us with doctors and new things we can try. He would check in on me and make sure I was okay."

It's one of a slew of tributes to Bob. TMZ broke the story, he died Sunday in an Orlando hotel room at age 65.

Bob Saget's death is spurring a dissection of his life -- and it's clear ... the guy lived it to the fullest, especially on a professional level.

The comedian got his start in showbiz doing stand-up comedy at a young age, and after moving to L.A. as an adult ... he eventually landed a gig on CBS' 'The Morning Program' ... which was supposed to compete with NBC's 'Today Show' and ABC's 'Good Morning America' ... and which eventually became 'CBS This Morning.'

Bob did comedy routines during his short stint there, and before long ... he was cast as Danny Tanner in ABC's new sitcom 'Full House,' which launched him into full-blown stardom.

He played the widowed father of 3 young girls, and got help raising them in San Francisco from good friends played by John Stamos (Uncle Jesse) and Dave Coulier (Joey Gladstone). His TV kids were played by Candace Cameron Bure, Jodie Sweetin and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.

'Full House' became a smash hit on the network, and ran for a total of 8 seasons through 1995. At the same time, Bob landed yet another job when he was tapped as the first host for 'America's Funniest Home Videos' in 1989. BS served as the MC for several seasons until he passed the baton in '97, 2 years after 'Full House' went off the air.

It was during this run in the '90s that Bob became one of "America's dads" ... due to his wholesome persona on camera, and actually playing a well-to-do father on television.

Of course, Bob in real life was anything but squeaky clean ... his stand-up act was known to be pretty raunchy. Going into the 2000s, Bob sorta revamped his image a bit, churning out movies and series that reflected his more adult comedy,

That was especially true of his directorial debut in the film "Dirty Work," starring his friend/fellow comedian Norm Macdonald and "Howard Stern Show" staple Artie Lange.