Brittany Murphy's Father: "She Wasn't Supposed to Die Like This"
Credit: Donato Sardella/WireImage
Brittany Murphy's father tells UsMagazine.com he is "still in shock" over his daughter's unexpected death at the age of 32.
"There is nothing I can say," Angelo Bertolotti tells Us. "I can't believe this is happening. She was a young 32. She wasn't supposed to die like this."
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A cause of death has yet been determined, but coroner's Capt. John Kades tells Us that "foul play is not suspected at this time because there were no outward signs of trauma or other injuries."
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TMZ.com reports Murphy began vomiting early Sunday morning and told family members she was feeling very ill. The website also reports that various prescriptions were found in her home in the hills above West Hollywood, where she was "found unresponsive" on Sunday morning. She was pronounced dead at 10:04 a.m. at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
"I don't understand how she died," Bertolotti tells Us. "This doesn't make sense to me."
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According to the Associated Press, Bertolotti was in the mob and served prison time on federal drug charges. He divorced her mother when Murphy was young and hadn't seen his daughter in "about three years," he tells Us.
"Ever since she married that Simon [Monjack, in 2007], I lost contact with her," he tells Us. "But I always kept track of her to make sure she was OK in case she needed me. She married him and everything changed. After that, we weren't so close."
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He tells Us he will "miss her smile and her work ethic. She was such a hard worker. I was so proud of her. This was a girl who had been working since she was 7.
"Everyone she worked with loved her. That's who she was. She was loveable," Bertolotti tells Us. "There is nothing more I can say. I'm trying to make sense of this, and I can't."
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42I woke up that Sunday morning just two days into my own withdrawals and recovery from my Opiate/Norco addiction and to my husband saying "I'm following the News and you know that Brittany Murphy girl, the one you said is a friend of your cousin's?" I got this huge knot in my stomach and replied, "Uh yeah... Omigod, did she die or something?" and when he said yes... I was just in absolute and complete utter shock! Even more shocked into the reality about the effects of the abuse and lethality of opiates (Oxicontin, Vicodin, Norco, Morphine and the list goes on). That could have been me I thought and broke down... Sadly, I was diagnosed with a dehabilitating disease after nearly dying in a hospital from being septic w/infection. After many months of ER visits and unable to manage my pain/symptoms I finally received a rather devastating diagnosis but learned that it was some ways manageable. I was prescribed Norco (each one equal to two 500 mg strength vicodin) for pain. Unable to physically and mentally cope with my disease I first took the Norco for pain... than I took it to prevent the pain... and when I did not have pain I would continue to take this prescribed medication every day because of the high and the seemingly numbing feeling it would provide to me; I felt able to cope. It got to the point where I'd run out of my prescript early (unfortunately I had a doctor that would give them to me early or provide me with higher dosage whenever I asked and even deterred me from getting help when I came to her and asked her not to prescribe them to me anymore)... I'd borrow pills from friends, family and buy from other sources and when I would run out, Iâ??d even resort to the use of oxicontin (a very deadly and scary drug). It took me a year to realize what was happening to me (and many nights on very high overdose levels of prescription drugs, forcing myself to breath and honestly afraid to fall asleep or that I might not wake up) and to admit to myself that I â??am an addict and I'm abusing my prescript drugs; drugs nonetheless... less than two months to the day that I admitted to my husband that I had a severe problem (by then everyone in my immediate family had started to take notice and concern), and I asked him to take control my prescription and hand them to me like a child until I reach the courage to seek help through a place that provides help of detox and recovery. That day came sooner than I thought and Iâ??m so happy I made the choice of life and to free myself, and my family from my addiction; just two days before the death of Brittany! This isn't just some thing (disease and addiction) that happens in Hollywood. People (hundreds of thousands, maybe millions?) everywhere are either dying from or becoming addicted to drugs of all kinds everyday even when it's not at first non-intentional (I became a victim of my own genetic disease and in the process acquired an addiction)... It can happen to anyone and it hurts everyone! I wish Brittany could have saved herself! All I know is that she died at the age of 32 from â??Cardiac Arrestâ?? and that's NOT NATURAL... She obviously died of something disease related, whether it is the drug addiction disease, eating disorder disease, genetic disease; or combination of the three. So very sad, may she rest in peace and that her family finds peace! If you are a person reading this that may think that they may have any drug or disease related addiction or a eating disorder please be strong enough to seek help, and don't live another day in your battle in fear that you may not wake up to see tomorrow... YOU ARE NOT ALONE! There are so many caring and understanding people in recovery clinics or your primary healthcare that can help get you through, and help you to overcome your disease/addiction. I ask that you put your pride and any embarrassments aside and GET HELP NOW AND NOT PUT IT OFF TO LATER... Brittany ran out of time (she will be missed...), you do not have to do the same...
its not anyones place to judge anyone in this world only gods place to judge brittney was a great actress and most likely a great person. what happen to her is between her and god.she will be judged on judgement day just like all of us will be judged. if i was u i would be worrying about yourself. let brittney rest in peace.i will pray for the ones who can say only bad things.remeber what u say and do in this world u will be judged.god bless u all.
I always admired this girl, so sweet and adorable. As for the "father"... a ghost father... why someone cares to hear what he has to say about her death?
Could someone please check the Gatorade?
I wish that she d/n die this way she seemed so sweet my heart goes out to her father as well to her mother.
To all of u who have nothing but nasty things to say about her... who the hell r u to judge? No one knows how she died and honestly its none of r buisness. spend more time being grateful for what u have and grateful it wasnt ur daughter or ur wife and less time worrying about what she did or diddnt do in HER life.Back off this is not the place and definetly not the time to run ur mouth about things u dont know. RIP Brittany and god bless ur family
britanny will be missed
Don't judge a book by the cover...I look the same way from the neck/shoulders up, but I'm about 30 pounds overweight. Not saying that she didn't have a problem, just don't assume.
A father, mother, family lost a loved one. Do any of us really need to speculate and spread rumors as to cause of death? By doing so,at a time like this, is tacky. All you claiming she was anorexic, addicted to drugs, etc...where were your comments and opinons prior to her death? If you were so worried why not try to speak up and try to get attention to her alleged problems before it was too late?! Your comments now are not helpful, they're only hurtful. Shame on you.
She wasn't supposed to die like this? How was she supposed to die?
...'speculations' about eating disorders..?? It could not possibly be MORE obvious that she was, beyond the shadow of a doubt, anorexic. Look at the photo: She looks far older than her years, with lines around her mouth, bags under her very tired-looking eyes, and her eyes bug out of her head; not an ounce of fat on her face, bony jawline, thin neck, veins on side of her forehead, dark sickly pallor to her skin, bony arms, legs, knees, shoulder, collarbone sticking out.... come on, look at her shoulders- they actually come to a point at the top. Her head is all skull and no fat. She definitely looks like a victim of starvation. But being strung out on pills did a number on her too.. the flu on top of that.. her heart was too weak, couldn't take it. RIP.
SUE: yes they were engaged!
i'm still shocked! I can't believe it.
and her father figures talking to US magazine is really the best thing to do at this time? what did he do get advise from Rihanna and Lindsay's fathers???
insmom Says: Rip brittany. Also your heart can give out on you at anytime. I am a 26 yr old mom of four, healthy never really sick, while prego with twins i went into now having heart disease(sp). never had symptons before. all because my twins literally took it all out of me. i have pills now to slow my heart rate down, and one to maintain it. ---------------- You sound delusional lady! Stop comparing yourself to this actress. You and anyone else here did not know her.
the girl just died and people are making speculations about drugs and eating disorders. and people want to a juicy story so people talk about her "secret dark life" without any real proof. Let her parents, family, close friends and fans have a chance to grieve. In the meantime, do your research instead of speculating.
Famous or not this is a sad time for her family and friends. My deepest sympathies go to her and her family
btw for those of you saying a 32 yr old don't have a heart attack with out being on drugs etc.. cardiac arrest is NOT THE SAME as a heart attack!!!
twinsmom, you are only 26 and have four kids???
v will miss u.she was cute like angel.rest in heaven.i love u so.