The family announced that authorities determined the late comedian 'hit the back of his head on something.'
Bob Saget's cause of death has been revealed and, according to the Saget family, authorities determined the late comedian and actor died from "head trauma" after "he accidentally hit the back of his head."
The Saget family released a statement to ET, which added that after Saget hit his head he went to sleep and "thought nothing of it."
“Now that we have the final conclusions from the authorities’ investigation, we felt it only proper that the fans hear those conclusions directly from us," the statement began. "The authorities have determined that Bob passed from head trauma. They have concluded that he accidentally hit the back of his head on something, thought nothing of it and went to sleep. No drugs or alcohol were involved.”
One day after the Saget family released its statement, the Orange County Medical Examiner's Office released its findings in a statement, saying "all testing and further studies have now been completed."
The statement included the medical examiner's opinion that Saget's death "was the result of blunt head trauma" and that "his injuries were most likely incurred from an unwitnessed fall." The statement also said that "a toxicology analysis did not reveal any illicit drugs or toxins" and that the manner of death is accidental.
"Our condolences go out to Mr. Saget’s loved ones during this difficult time," the statement concluded.
Dr. Ben Rein spoke to ET following the Saget family's statement and he spoke about the effects from even the slightest head bump.
"When you hit your head, what can occur is a brain bleed," Rein said. "And in that case, the blood vessels in and around your brain can become damaged and blood can begin to leak from them. And when that occurs, blood can pool between the brain and the skull, and that can apply pressure to the brain tissue and that's very bad for the brain."
It's also potentially even riskier for older folks.
"In general, older people are at higher risks for brain bleeds because as you age those blood vessels become more vulnerable to damage, and the space between your brain and your skull increases," Rein said. "So in this case, Bob Saget was 65, so he may have been at a higher risk for something like this."
That Saget died from an accidental head trauma is rare but Dr. Michael Dorsi tells ET that it can happen.
"It's not unheard of but it's something that I see as a neurosurgeon covering emergency rooms," he said. "I see it several times a year where someone cannot recall even hitting their head and now they have intracranial blood that they can't account for."
Following the cause of death announcement, the family went on to thank fans for the outpouring support.
“In the weeks since Bob’s passing, we have been overwhelmed with the incredible outpouring of love from Bob’s fans, which has been a great comfort to us and for which we are eternally grateful," the statement continued. "As we continue to mourn together, we ask everyone to remember the love and laughter that Bob brought to this world, and the lessons he taught us all: to be kind to everyone, to let the people you love know you love them, and to face difficult times with hugs and laughter.”
Saget was found unresponsive in his hotel room last month in Orlando, Florida, just hours after he finished a stand-up show just outside of Jacksonville the night prior. According to an incident report released by the Orange County Sheriff's Office, security found the Full House star after his wife, Kelly Rizzo, asked if someone could check in on him.
According to the report, Rizzo was called by hotel staff and they entered the room and found Saget on the bed with his hand on his chest. The report also stated Saget was lying in bed in a supine position, indicating a possible heart attack. "His left arm was across his chest while his right arm was resting on the bed," the report stated. "No signs of trauma were seen."
Saget was pronounced dead at 4:18 p.m. ET on Jan. 9. He was 65.
Just days after his passing, the Florida chief medical examiner in charge of investigating Saget's death announced that an autopsy was performed. The medical examiner indicated there was no evidence of drug use or foul play, but cautioned the probe would take 10-12 weeks to complete. The Saget family's announcement came a little over four weeks after Saget died.
In a statement to ET, Saget’s wife expressed her gratitude and, at that time, asked for privacy.
"My whole heart. Bob was my absolute everything: I am so completely shattered and in disbelief. I am so deeply touched by the outpouring of love and tributes from our friends, family, his fans and his peers,” Rizzo said. "When the time is right and when this news is not as raw, I look forward to sharing more of Bob with the world. Sharing how much he meant to me, all of those around him, and how much all of his fans and friends meant to him as well. Thank you for respecting my privacy at this time."
Saget's longtime friend and Full House co-star John Stamos gave a moving and heartbreaking speech at Saget's memorial service in Los Angeles less than a week after Saget's death. Stamos' full tribute to Saget was published by The Los Angeles Times, and he talked about how beloved Saget was to both his fans and all of his many friends and loved ones.
"I just wish he knew how much the world loved him when he was here," he said. "I spent many a night trying to convince him of how loved he really was (or maybe it was the other way around — him trying to convince me how loved he was). But that was just Bob bluster. There's no way he thought his death would have this kind of impact. This is the kind of coverage that speaks to someone who genuinely connected with people, and not just for a moment, but for generations."
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