Celebrity Death

NASCAR legend Kyle Busch died from severe pneumonia, which progressed into sepsis ... TMZ has confirmed.

According to a statement from Kyle's family, he passed away "after severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis, resulting in rapid and overwhelming associated complications."

As we reported ... Kyle died Thursday after being hospitalized with a severe illness.

Doug McCain, the eldest son of late Senator John McCain, has died suddenly.

Meghan McCain confirmed the news Sunday, though the cause of death has not been made public.

Meghan paid tribute to her brother in an emotional message shared online ... writing ... "I am deeply saddened to share the news of my brother Doug McCain’s sudden passing."

Kyle Busch's team has to push on without him ... but, there's certainly an air of grief around the team -- just watch them unload his car two days after his tragic death.

The Richard Childress Racing team took Busch's car out of the truck Saturday in North Carolina while numerous reporters and other onlookers watched ... and the silence was deafening -- with the only sounds coming from the car's wheels as the team eased it out.

The car -- repainted with number 33 after RCR announced they won't be using Busch's #8 for the foreseeable future -- has what looks like a tribute to Busch on the door ... but does not have a name on it.

Kyle Busch's tragic death has inspired statewide mourning in North Carolina ... with the governor ordering all flags to be flown half-staff.

Governor Josh Stein announced the order Friday ... directing officials to lower all U.S. and state flags to half-staff as a way of honoring Busch's legacy.

The flags were set to half-staff at sunrise Saturday and will remain that way until the sun sets on Sunday.

Grizz Chapman, the actor best known for his work on "30 Rock," died yesterday ... and now we're learning a little more about what led up to his passing.

Renee Glicker, Chapman's manager, tells TMZ ... the beloved film and TV actor has been suffering from an assortment of medical conditions in the past few years ... and was "just struggling to stay alive."

Chapman received a kidney transplant in July 2010 ... and Renee said he needed another transplant ... but given his enormous size -- he stood 7-feet tall -- finding a match again was difficult.

Kyle Busch's medical emergency has been partially revealed by 911 audio obtained by TMZ Sports ... with a caller saying the NASCAR superstar was struggling to breathe, overheating and coughing up blood before medics rushed to help.

During the emergency call placed around 5:30 PM Wednesday, the caller urgently requests an ambulance to a training facility in Concord, North Carolina ... telling dispatch, "I've got an individual that's shortness of breath, very hot, thinks he's going to pass out, and he's producing a little bit of blood, coughing up some blood."

The caller also confirmed the patient was still conscious at the time ... repeatedly telling dispatch, “He is awake. He's awake. He's awake.”

Grizz Chapman, the actor best known for his work on the classic sitcom "30 Rock," has died.

His longtime rep, Saideh A. Brown, tells TMZ ... Chapman died Friday. No other details are being released at this time, other than his wife and two children are devastated.

In addition to his work on the NBC series ... Chapman created a series of YouTube videos known as "Grizz Chroniclez" featuring him in variety sketches.

Rob Base, one-half of the legendary duo with DJ E-Z Rock behind the classic hit "It Takes Two," has died at 59.

The rapper -- born Robert Ginyard -- passed away peacefully after a private battle with cancer on Friday surrounded by family ... just four days after celebrating his birthday.

His family remembered him in an Instagram post as a loving father, friend and "creative force whose impact will never be forgotten."

No one will race the No. 8 car after Kyle Busch's tragic death ... with Richard Childress Racing announcing the digit will be suspended in his honor until his son, Brexton, is ready to join NASCAR.

The decision was shared on Friday ... with Busch's team saying it will opt to use No. 33 at Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend and beyond.

"Kyle Busch was instrumental in the design of RCR’s stylized No. 8 and it has become synonymous with Kyle and an important symbol for his fans and the NASCAR industry," RCR said minutes ago. "No one can carry it forward to the level that he did."

Michael Jackson’s estate is firing back at the late pop star’s former friends, who are suing for alleged sex trafficking ... TMZ has learned.

According to court docs, obtained by TMZ, the estate slammed Edward Cascio and his three siblings, who are locked in a legal battle with the estate over claims they were sexually abused by MJ for years in the 1980s.

The estate said the Cascios were already paid massive settlements of $3.45M each, and "demanded the incredible sum of $213M in 2024.”

NASCAR legend Kyle Busch passed away suddenly, according to an announcement from his racing team, Richard Childress Racing, and from NASCAR itself.

His "sudden and tragic passing" comes the same day his family revealed he'd been hospitalized with a "severe illness."

Kyle leaves behind an incredible legacy in the racing community. Keep reading to learn more and honor his memory.

Kyle was a Las Vegas native who was just 6 years old when he first fell in love with racing, often go-karting around his cul-de-sac.

He reportedly used crushed soda cans to create a makeshift track for himself and his brother, Kurt. Busch would even use the little tabs as targets to practice weaving in and out, according to ESPN.

Kyle's first popped on the NASCAR scene at only 16 years old ... racing for Roush Racing in a 2001 Craftsman Truck Series race, behind the wheel of a number 99 Ford.

While he finished 9th at Indianapolis Raceway Park, his debut was cut short ... thanks to a rule NASCAR implemented shortly after which banned drivers under 18 from competing in any of its touring divisions.

Once he was eligible, he went on to win Rookie of the Year twice -- in 2004 for NASCAR's Busch Series and again in 2005 for NASCAR's Cup Series.

Over the course of his 25-year career, Kyle won more NASCAR national series races than any other driver in history. He racked up 63 Cup Series wins, 102 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series wins and 69 Truck Series wins ... for a grand total of 234.

Busch also holds the records for most Truck Series and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series wins. He's even been crowned Cup Series Champion twice -- in 2015 and 2019.

NASCAR made Kyle's GOAT status official ... naming him in their list of 75 greatest drivers. He's in good company, included alongside all-time greats and household names like Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty.

This tracks, since Busch's list of accomplishments is longer than a CVS receipt. Not to mention ... he's taken home the top motorsports honor at the ESPYS twice ... having been crowned Best Driver in 2016 and 2019.

Kyle's young song, Brexton, is continuing the family tradition ... because he's a racer, himself. According to Brexton's bio, he started racing at just 5 years old, competing at the Beginner Box Stock division at Millbridge Speedway.

Just days before his death, Busch took to Instagram to wish Brexton a happy 11th birthday ... sharing sweet snaps of his son.

He wrote in the caption ... "You’re the best kid on & off the track, you amaze us every day. Keep doing what you’re doing and there is no limit to what you’ll accomplish! Love you buddy!"

In addition to Brexton, Kyle is also survived by his wife Samantha and his 4-year-old daughter Lennix.

We first heard Kyle was sick when he radioed for medical help during his Cup Series race on May 10 at Watkins Glen in upstate New York, which he finished in 8th place.

And even though he was still under the weather, Busch raced again in a Truck Series race on May 15, where he won the EcoSave 200.

He was 41.

Viral YouTube star Danny Go is grieving the heartbreaking loss of his young son after a long health battle.

Danny Go -- real name Daniel Coleman -- announced Friday on Instagram that his son died at age 14 ... writing, “Isaac Daniel Coleman 10/3/11 – 5/21/26.”

“Oh my sweet boy. There’s so much I want to say, but I don’t know how yet. I already miss you so much, and the pain in my heart is far more than I can process,” he began.

8:52 AM PT -- Kyle Busch's medical emergency has been partially revealed by 911 audio obtained by TMZ Sports ... with a caller saying the NASCAR superstar was struggling to breathe, overheating and coughing up blood before medics rushed to help.

NASCAR legend Kyle Busch tragically died at the age of 41 Thursday ... and we are starting to learn more about what happened prior to his shocking passing.

Before being hospitalized ... Busch was testing in a racing simulator in Concord on Wednesday when he became unresponsive -- and was rushed for medical care, the Associated Press reported via unnamed sources.

As TMZ reported ... Busch's family, racing team, Richard Childress Racing, and NASCAR announced the shocking news yesterday afternoon.

Tragedy in British TV ... actor Michael Keating -- best known for his work on "Doctor Who," "Blake’s 7" and "EastEnders" -- has died.

Michael’s agent, Dan Ireson, confirmed the news on Friday ... revealing the actor passed away peacefully at home on April 26. He also shared that Michael had been living with dementia before his death.

His exact cause of death has not been revealed.

Kyle Busch's shocking death at just 41 years old has devastated the NASCAR community ... with drivers sharing their grief on social media.

Brad Keselowski was one of the first to post about Busch's death ... saying, "Absolute shock. Very hard to process. Hug your loved ones."

Denny Hamlin also went to social media ... adding, "Absolutely cannot comprehend this news. We just need to think of his family during this time. We love you KB."

Matthew Perry’s assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, is asking for some leniency at his upcoming sentencing ... telling the judge he could not "simply say no" when it came to feeding Perry's drug habit ... TMZ has learned.

In new court docs, obtained by TMZ, Kenneth, who is set to be scheduled on May 27, disagreed with prosecutors’ claim he could have told the "Friends" star “no” when he asked for ketamine.

As TMZ previously reported, Kenneth is facing years in prison for securing ketamine for Matthew and even injecting him with the drug on the day he died. Matthew died on October 28, 2023, from the acute effects of the drug.