Ace Frehley‘s cause of death has been confirmed.
According to TMZ, a report from the Morris County, New Jersey Medical Examiner, revealed that the Kiss guitarist died from “blunt trauma injuries” after accidentally falling at his Morristown home last month.
A CT scan revealed multiple contusions, bone fractures to the back of his skull, hemorrhages, and a subdural hematoma – bleeding that occurs in the brain after head trauma.
The report also documented additional injuries, including bruises on Frehley’s hip, thigh, and abdomen. Medical professionals discovered that the musician had suffered a stroke in addition to his fall-related injuries. Doctors attempted a hemicraniectomy, a surgical procedure designed to alleviate pressure from the hematoma, but the intervention proved unsuccessful.
Following the fall, Frehley was placed on life support before his family made the decision to disconnect his ventilator.
Born and raised in the Bronx, Frehley’s path to rock immortality began after he ditched football for the guitar. “My hands are too important,” he once said. “The guitar comes first.”
Inspired by seeing The Who and Cream as a teenager, Frehley developed a love for theatrical rock that would shape his future. In 1972, he answered a Village Voice ad that led him to Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, and Peter Criss — and, ultimately, to the creation of KISS.
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Frehley’s former bandmates, Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley and Peter Criss, paid tribute to the late musician and his lasting legacy.
“I am devastated by the passing of Ace Frehley,” Simmons and Stanley said in a joint statement.
“He was an essential and irreplaceable rock soldier during some of the most formative foundational chapters of the band and its history. He is and will always be a part of KISS’s legacy. My thoughts are with Jeanette, Monique and all those who loved him, including our fans around the world.”
Simmons later posted a tribute to social media. “Our hearts are broken. Ace has passed on,” he wrote. “No one can touch Ace’s legacy. I know he loved the fans. He told me many times. Sadder still, Ace didn’t live long enough to be honored at the Kennedy Ctr Honors event in Dec. Ace was the eternal rock soldier. Long may his legacy live on!”
