Tragic Details Found In Carrie Fisher's Autopsy Report
The following includes references to addiction.
Up to this day, the world continues to feel the void left by Carrie Fisher, the iconic "Star Wars" star who became a global sensation as Princess Leia Organa. Fisher was only 60 years old when she died in December 2016, but her mark on pop culture is indelible. Early reports chalked her death up to a heart attack, but as with most things in Fisher's life, the reality was far more complicated — and tragic.
The news of Fisher's passing sent shockwaves through her fans all over the world, to say the least. Just days before her death, she had suffered a cardiac arrest on a long-haul flight from London to Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Coroner's Office later ruled her death was caused by sleep apnea and "other undetermined factors." The coroner also mentioned Fisher's history with atherosclerotic heart disease and drug use but refused to attribute her death to any one culprit, per Reuters. Meanwhile, Fisher's brother, Todd, firmly denied that drugs were involved. "I would tell you, from my perspective, that there's certainly no news that Carrie did drugs," he told ET, though he also admitted her struggles with substance misuse plagued her for most of her life. Ultimately, Todd summed up her passing as the result of various health issues. "If you want to know what killed her, it's all of it," he added.
It wasn't until six months later that everyone got the full story. Toxicology results confirmed multiple substances in Fisher's system at the time of her death, directly contradicting Todd's earlier statements. It was a heartbreaking revelation for fans, but perhaps not entirely surprising given Fisher's openness about her battles with addiction and mental health.
Multiple drugs were found in Carrie Fisher's system
Carrie Fisher's autopsy and toxicology report, released in June 2017, painted a devastating picture of her final days. The coroner found traces of heroin, cocaine, morphine, and MDMA (or ecstasy), along with a cocktail of prescription meds like Prozac, Abilify, Lamictal, and unprescribed oxycodone. "Based on the available toxicological information, we cannot establish the significance of the multiple substances that were detected in Ms. Fisher's blood and tissue, with regard to the cause of death," the report stated, although it's still anyone's guess which — if any — of these contributed to her death, since some could have been taken days before her heart attack.
Of course, Fisher's family wasn't about to sweep it under the rug. Her daughter, Billie Lourd, addressed it head-on, noting her mother's decades-long struggles with addiction and bipolar disorder. "My mom battled drug addiction and mental illness her entire life. She ultimately died of it. She was purposefully open in all of her work about the social stigmas surrounding these diseases," she said in a statement to People. "I know my Mom, she'd want her death to encourage people to be open about their struggles ... Shame and those social stigmas are the enemies of progress to solutions and ultimately a cure. Love you Momby."
True to form, Fisher herself never shied away from discussing her demons and was never one to sugarcoat her struggles. "The only lesson for me, or anybody, is that you have to get help. It's not a neat illness. It doesn't go away," she told People in 2013. "[In the future] I don't know if there are setbacks or steps forward. I'm not embarrassed."
If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).