Shelley Fabares’ Cause of Death: What We Know So Far

After learning of the death of entertainer Shelley Fabares at 82, fans are wondering about the Coach star’s cause of death. Few details about Fabares’ death have been revealed so far, but the beloved actress and singer had navigated some complicated health issues over the years.

Shelley Fabares’ Cause of Death

According to People on August 24, Fabares died in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 22, per a statement from her family.

Fabares died surrounded by her loved ones, the family’s statement indicated. The Hollywood Reporter shared that Fabares died after a brief illness.

The media outlet also noted that in October 2000, Fabares had a liver transplant. She spent nearly two years on a waiting list before receiving a match.

After her transplant, Danny Chung of the Alzheimer’s Association, which Fabares worked with, told ABC News that she needed a transplant at the time due to the deterioration of her liver. The deterioration came as a result of an autoimmune disorder Fabares had, he indicated.

The need for a liver transplant came several years after Fabares faced a serious fall during home renovations and broke all the ribs on her left side, according to Cedars-Sinai via NewsWise.

After an emergency room visit for her ribs, Fabares’ doctor discovered highly elevated liver counts. PBS Speakers indicates that eventually, Fabares’ condition was determined to be autoimmune hepatitis, and medications helped for a while.

In 1999, however, Fabares had an esophageal bleed and “was terribly ill,” she shared.

She had progressive liver failure, doctors told her, and without a transplant, she could die. “I was very much aware I was living on borrowed time,” Fabares explained. She added, “The strain was enormous, but there was also a level of acceptance within me.”

Fabares recovered well from the liver transplant, although she acknowledged it had been difficult. There has been no indication that Fabares’ earlier health issues played any role in her August 22 death.

Over the years, the entertainer also starred in The Donna Reed Show, starred in movies with Elvis Presley, and had a hit song, “Johnny Angel.”

She was married to M*A*S*H star Mike Farrell, whom she wed in 1984. The family’s statement regarding her death noted she was “a source of love, strength, laughter, and comfort.”

In addition, the statement noted, Fabares was someone whose “warmth, generosity, humor, and grace made an enduring difference in the lives of everyone who knew her.”