Kato Kaelin, the famed houseguest of O.J. Simpson, reacted to the news of the infamous athlete's death at 76.
Kato Kaelin, a prominent figure in O.J. Simpson's murder trial, has spoken out in the wake of the infamous athlete's death.
In a video shared to X (formerly known as Twitter) on Thursday, Kato, 65, issued his statement, first addressing O.J.'s four living children. The late dad welcomed three children -- daughter Arnelle, son Jason, and daughter Aaren -- with his first wife, Marguerite Whitley. Aaren died before her 2nd birthday in 1979 after drowning in a swimming pool. O.J. shared daughter Sydney and son Justin with his second wife, Nicole Brown Simpson.
"Foremost, I'd like to express my condolences to the children -- to Sydney and to Justin, to Jason and Arnelle," Kato began. "They lost their father and that is never easy."
His attention then turned to the parents of Ron Goldman, who was murdered along with O.J.'s ex-wife, Nicole, outside her home in 1994. "I wish to express my love and compassion to the Goldmans," Kato said. "To Fred and to Kim -- I hope you find closure."
"And finally, to the family of the beautiful Nicole Brown Simpson," he concluded, "may we always cherish her memories. Nicole was a beacon of light that burned bright. May we never forget her."
Nicole was 35 at the time of her death while Ron was 25. O.J. was famously acquitted of their murders during the criminal trial in 1995. Kato was staying in O.J.'s guesthouse at the time of the murders and served as a witness in the trial.
Two years later, O.J. was found liable for their deaths in a civil trial. The events surrounding O.J. and the murders have since become pop culture fixtures, revisited in documentaries, TV specials, and the 2016 series, The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story.
Ron's father, Fred Goldman, also reacted to the news of O.J.'s death, telling ET in a statement on behalf of him and his wife, Patti Goldman, "This is a reminder of how long Ron and Nicole have been gone and missed. It's not about the killer, it's about the victims."
O.J.'s kids announced their loss on Thursday, revealing their father had died on Wednesday at the age of 76. "On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren," their statement read. "During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace."
Earlier this year, a report emerged claiming O.J. was undergoing treatment for prostate cancer, though he denied being in hospice.
Marcia Clark, who served as a lead prosecutor in the trial, said in a statement, "I send my condolences to Mr. Simpson's family."
RELATED CONTENT:
