*Over four months after his passing, Tommy “Tiny” Lister‘s cause of death has been revealed.
We previously reported, Lister died in December 2020 at the age of 62, and at the time, he was reportedly battling coronavirus symptoms. The L.A. County Medical Examiner, per TMZ, concluded that the star of “Friday” died of hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Lister also tested positive for COVID-19, but heart disease was the cause of death, according to the report.
His manager Cindy Cowan previously said, per CNN, that the actor fell ill a week before his death and his symptoms “got really bad, really quick,” adding, “He couldn’t breathe and felt very weak. It literally went so fast.”
Months before his passing, Lister had recovered from COVID-19. But when he started feeling sick again, he suspected he had contracted the virus again.
“He thought maybe his diabetes was starting to kick up because he just wasn’t feeling right,” Cowan said. “He said, ‘I feel like I’m getting COVID again.'”
Lister’s big film break came in 1995, playing Deebo the bully in “Friday,” and in its 2000 sequel, “Next Friday.” He also had roles in the films “The Dark Knight,” “Jackie Brown,” “Austin Powers in Goldmember” and “The Fifth Element.” His television appearance include “Matlock,” “Perfect Strangers,” “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” “Moesha” and “The Jamie Foxx Show,” per PEOPLE.
Ice Cube, who co-starred with Lister in “Friday,” wrote on Twitter after his death: “RIP Tiny ‘Deebo’ Lister. America’s favorite bully was a born entertainer who would pop into character at the drop of a hat terrifying people on and off camera. Followed by a big smile and laugh. Thank you for being a good dude at heart. I miss you already.”
Prior to his death last month, Lister legally changed his middle name to “Debo,” to honor his character in the 1995 comedy “Friday.”
According to the autopsy report, Lister had an enlarged heart with high blood pressure, poor circulation in his legs, and coronary artery disease.
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