Hugh Hefner died after going into cardiac arrest and experiencing respiratory failure, The Blast reports. The site adds that E.Coli and Septicemia (blood poisoning) were also contributing factors to his passing.
As previously reported, the Playboy founder died on Wednesday, September 27, at the age of 91. According to TMZ, Hefner was laid to rest next to Marilyn Monroe in a private ceremony three days later. He bought the burial spot in the Corridor of Memories Mausoleum in 1992 for $75,000.
![Hugh Hefner at the 33rd Annual Playboy Jazz Festival Artist Line-Up announcement at The Playboy Mansion on February 10, 2011 in Beverly Hills, California.](/wp-content/uploads/hugh-hefners-cause-of-death-208ae21a-5cdd-4a9e-b1c5-4fbe1d1af8cc.jpg?w=460&quality=86&strip=all)
Hefner’s widow, Crystal Harris, opened up about burying the media mogul in a heartfelt statement on Monday, October 2. “We laid him to rest Saturday. He is in the place he was always certain he wanted to spend eternity,” she said. “He was an American hero. A pioneer. A kind and humble soul who opened up his life and home to the world. I felt how much he loved me. I loved him so much. I am so grateful.”
“There never has and never will be another Hugh M. Hefner,” Harris continued. “I join the world in mourning. I thank you for all of your condolences, to the people leaving sentiments at the front gate, we see you and grieve with you.”
Similarly, Hefner’s 26-year-old son, Cooper, gushed over his father’s legacy on the day of his passing. “My father lived an exceptional and impactful life as a media and cultural pioneer and a leading voice behind some of the most significant social and cultural movements of our time in advocating free speech, civil rights and sexual freedom,” he said. “He defined a lifestyle and ethos that lie at the heart of the Playboy brand, one of the most recognizable and enduring in history. He will be greatly missed by many, including his wife Crystal, my sister Christie and my brothers David and Marston, and all of us at Playboy Enterprises.”