TV legend Andy Griffith had heart attack night before death
BY RITA SHERROW World Television Editor
Thursday, July 05, 2012
7/05/12 at 5:46 PM
TV legend Andy Griffith experienced a heart attack approximately 24 hours before his death, tmz.com reported Thursday.
The actor's death certificate, filed in Dare County, N.C., and obtained by the Associated Press, according to the website, recorded his death at 7 a.m. Tuesday.
The document also indicated that the 86-year-old had suffered from several illnesses for years including coronary artery disease, hypertension and hyperlipidemia.
The beloved star of "The Andy Griffith Show" and "Matlock" had suffered a heart attack and undergone quadruple bypass surgery in 2000.
According to the 911 call, his wife Cindy reported him unconscious in their home in Mateo, N.C. A second woman then reports the star is in grave condition.
"I think he's pretty much ... um, he might have passed away. But we need help, he's not breathing, he's slumped over, I can't feel a pulse." The 911 operator was told that Griffith had "been ill all night" and became unresponsive after getting up and getting into his wheelchair, reported AP.
When the 911 dispatcher advises the caller to start CPR on the floor, the operator is told a doctor had given instructions the previous night "not to attempt chest compressions on Griffith."
His death was confirmed by Dare County Sheriff Doug Doughtie Tuesday and he was buried on his family farm in Roanoke, N.C., that same day as per Griffith's wishes.
Associated Images:
This undated file photo provided by Fox Searchlight Pictures shows actor Andy Griffith on the set of "Waitress." Griffith, whose homespun mix of humor and wisdom made "The Andy Griffith Show" an enduring TV favorite, died Tuesday in Manteo, N.C.FOX SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES/AP file photo
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