Bob Saget’s cause of death revealed as head trauma, family says
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By Bob D'Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
Bob Saget, the beloved comedian and actor known for his role on “Full House,” died of head trauma after he accidentally hit something, his family said in a statement on Wednesday.’
Saget, 65, was found unresponsive on Jan. 9 in a hotel room at the Ritz-Carlton Orlando. He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
“Now that we have the final conclusions from the authorities’ investigation, we felt it only proper that the fans hear those conclusions directly from us,” the family said. “They have concluded that he accidentally hit the back of his head on something, thought nothing of it and went to sleep. No drugs or alcohol were involved.”
The Orange County medical examiner’s office and the sheriff’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment, according to The New York Times.
Saget was in the middle of a nationwide stand-up tour in September 2021 that was scheduled to run through June, Variety reported.
According to the Times, Saget was born in Philadelphia, and graduated from Temple University in 1978, before building his following in comedy clubs. Despite his “squeaky-clean image” on “Full House” and “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” Saget’s “raunchy, profanity-laden stand-up routines” catered to more adult audiences, the newspaper reported.
“Full House” ran for eight seasons and 192 episodes from 1987 to 1994, reaching more than 17 million viewers during its peak in Season 5. The fan-favorite also spawned the Netflix sequel series, “Fuller House,” which ran for five seasons and saw Saget reprise his role as Danny Tanner in 10 of the program’s 75 episodes between 2016 and 2020, Variety reported.
Saget also hosted “America’s Funniest Home Videos” from 1989 until 1997, and narrated CBS’ “How I Met Your Mother” during its nine-season run that ended in 2014, according to Variety.
Saget was also a board member of the Scleroderma Research Foundation and raised money to help fight the autoimmune disease. His sister, Gay Saget, was diagnosed with scleroderma and died in 1993, Variety reported.
Bob Saget Bob Saget arrives at the Film Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017, in Santa Monica, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP) (Jordan Strauss/Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Bob Saget Host Bob Saget, left, and honoree Jason Alexander share a laugh at the 13th Annual Lupus LA Orange Ball at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on Thursday, May 9, 2013 in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) (Chris Pizzello/Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Bob Saget Host Bob Saget poses alongside an Oscar statue before the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 40th Student Academy Awards at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater on Saturday, June 8, 2013 in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) (Chris Pizzello/Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Bob Saget Bob Saget arrives at the premiere of "Jackass Presents Bad Grandpa" at the TCL Chinese Theatre on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2013 in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP) (Richard Shotwell/Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Bob Saget Bob Saget, left, and Dave Coulier attend the 30th annual Scleroderma Foundation Benefit at the Beverly Wilshire hotel on Friday, June 16, 2017, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) (Chris Pizzello/Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Bob Saget Bob Saget attends the 2nd Annual Rebels with a Cause at Paramount Pictures Studios on Thursday, March 20, 2014 in Los Angeles. (Photo by Annie I. Bang /Invision/AP) (Annie I. Bang/Annie I. Bang/Invision/AP)
Bob Saget Bob Saget, left, and Jimmy Kimmel attend the 30th annual Scleroderma Foundation Benefit at the Beverly Wilshire hotel Friday, June 16, 2017, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) (Chris Pizzello/Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Bob Saget Host Bob Saget, center, joins together with guests Jack Black, left, and Kevin Nealon before the Cool Comedy's Hot Cuisine Benefit for the Scleroderma Research Foundation at the Four Seasons Hotel on Tuesday, April 30, 2013 in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) (Chris Pizzello/Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Bob Saget Comedian Bob Saget performs on stage at KAABOO Texas at AT&T Stadium on Sunday, May 12, 2019, in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP) (Amy Harris/Amy Harris/Invision/AP)
Bob Saget Bob Saget arrives at the People's Choice Awards at the Microsoft Theater on Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2017, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP) (Jordan Strauss/Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Bob Saget Bob Saget, left, and John Mayer attend the Opening Night of the 2018 Beverly Hills Film Festival at the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres on Wednesday, April 4, 2018, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP) (Richard Shotwell/Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Bob Saget Bob Saget, left, and Kelly Rizzo arrive at the Los Angeles premiere of "Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind" at the TCL Chinese Theatre on Wednesday, June 27, 2018. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) (Chris Pizzello/Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Bob Saget John Stamos and Bob Saget seen at Open Road Presents the World Premiere of "Mother's Day" at TCL Chinese Theatre on Wednesday, April 13, 2016, in Hollywood. (Photo by Steve Cohn/Invision for Open Road Films/AP Images) (Steve Cohn/Steve Cohn/Invision/AP)
Bob Saget Lara Saget, left, and Bob Saget arrive at the 56th annual GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2014, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP) (Jordan Strauss/Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Bob Saget Aubrey Saget, from left, Bob Saget and Lara Saget attend the 30th annual Scleroderma Foundation Benefit at the Beverly Wilshire hotel on Friday, June 16, 2017, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) (Chris Pizzello/Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Bob Saget Bob Saget, left, and Kelly Rizzo attend the Opening Night of the 2018 Beverly Hills Film Festival at the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres on Wednesday, April 4, 2018, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP) (Richard Shotwell/Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Bob Saget Bob Saget, left, and John Stamos arrive at the Los Angeles premiere of "Mother's Day" at the TCL Chinese Theatre on Wednesday, April 13, 2016. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP) (Richard Shotwell/Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Bob Saget EXCLUSIVE - John Stamos and, from left, Andrea Barber, Candace Cameron Brue, Lori Loughlin, Bob Saget during night one of the Television Academy's 2018 Creative Arts Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater on Saturday, Sept. 8, 2018, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Phil McCarten/Invision/AP) (Phil McCarten/Phil McCarten/Invision/AP)
Bob Saget Jodie Sweetin, front row from left, Jeff Franklin, Candace Cameron-Bure, John Brotherton, Dave Coulier, Scott Weinger, Lori Laughlin, Andrea Barber, and bottom row from left, Juan Pablo di Pace, Bob Saget, and John Stamos pose in the press room with the award for favorite premium comedy series for "Fuller House" at the People's Choice Awards at the Microsoft Theater on Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2017, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP) (Jordan Strauss/Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Bob Saget From left, Jeff Franklin, John Stamos, Lori Loughlin, Jodie Sweetin, Andrea Barber, Chief Content Officer of Netflix -Ted Sarandos, Michael Campion, Candace Cameron Bure, Elias Harger, Soni Bringas, Bob Saget, Dave Coulier and Juan Pablo Di Pace attend the premiere of "Fuller House" on February 16, 2016 in Los Angeles. (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP) (Jordan Strauss/Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Bob Saget Bob Saget, left, and Christin Kalaskie arrives at the Cool Comedy: Hot Cuisine Gala Benefit at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on Friday, June 5, 2015, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Rich Fury/Invision/AP) (Rich Fury/Rich Fury/Invision/AP)
Bob Saget EXCLUSIVE - John Stamos, from left, Andrea Barber, Bob Saget, Candace Cameron Bure and Lori Loughlin attend night one of the Television Academy's 2018 Creative Arts Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater on Saturday, Sept. 8, 2018, in Los Angeles. (Photo by John Salangsang/Invision/AP) (John Salangsang/John Salangsang/Invision/AP)
Bob Saget IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR STARLIGHT CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION - Bob Saget, left and Mr. T attend the Starlight Awards at the Skirball Cultural Center on Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2013, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision for Starlight Children's Foundation/AP Images) (Jordan Strauss/Invision for Starlight Children's Foundation)
Bob Saget Jack Black, left, and Bob Saget arrive at the Cool Comedy: Hot Cuisine Gala Benefit at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on Friday, June 5, 2015, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Rich Fury/Invision/AP) (Rich Fury/Rich Fury/Invision/AP)
Bob Saget Actor/comedian Bob Saget performs with David Shaw of The Revivalists during KAABOO 2019 at the Del Mar Racetrack and Fairgrounds on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2019, in Del Mar, Calif. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP) (Amy Harris/Amy Harris/Invision/AP)