RIP

The hours leading up to Sam Bruce's death were frantic and tragic ... because a 911 call, obtained by TMZ Sports on Friday, revealed the former Miami Hurricane was trapped inside of a crashed car while having a seizure.

In the audio, a caller can be heard telling dispatch that Bruce -- a Florida high school football legend -- had just suffered a seizure at around 8:23 PM on Wednesday in Fort Lauderdale, FL, and crashed his car into a pole as a result.

"They can't get him out," the woman on the call said. "And, the car is still in gear."

"People are trying to assist him," she added. "But, the car is still in gear. You can see it because the tires are spinning. Can't nobody seem to get in."

The woman said Bruce, a former wide receiver, appeared to be convulsing as he was locked inside of the car ... telling dispatch, "Every time the seizure hits, the tire spins."

"Nobody seems to be able to get inside the vehicle to assist him."

Cops and medical personnel eventually arrived on the scene ... and a Fort Lauderdale Police Dept. spokesperson tells us they performed CPR on Bruce and ultimately transported him to a nearby hospital.

Sadly, Bruce passed away at the hospital hours later on Thursday morning.

The spokesperson tells us "the circumstances surrounding this incident are not suspicious and foul play is not suspected." A rep for the Broward County Medical Examiner said Friday that a cause and manner of death are still pending.

Bruce was a superstar on the gridiron during his high school football days at St. Thomas Aquinas -- blowing by defenders so often, he earned the nickname "The Samborghini."

Bruce signed to play receiver for the Miami Hurricanes in 2016 ... but he was dismissed from the school just months into his freshman year. He went to attend Mississippi Gulf Coast C.C. and Southeastern University ... and he later played for the Indoor Football League.

Vogue legend André Leon Talley touched the lives of many -- including some fashion heavyweights -- many of which came out to celebrate his life.

The invitation-only funeral service was held Thursday in New York ... with a guest list that included Anna Wintour, Martha Stewart, Naomi Campbell, Gayle King, Karlie Kloss, Marc Jacobs and Kimora Lee Simmons.

As we previously reported -- the former creative director and one-time editor-at-large died back in January at a hospital in White Plains, NY. A cause of death has not been released.

ALT was a power player in Vogue's vision and direction in the '80s and '90s. He was the mag's news director from '83 to '87 just before becoming Vogue's creative director in '88.

He's not only remembered as a trailblazer in the fashion world, but for his instrumental work in getting more POC on the runway ... specifically, black models.

The Sheriff in the "Rust" shooting investigation is apparently telling the widower and son of Halyna Hutchins to pound sand, because the video the Sheriff released showing Halyna slowly dying after being shot is still available for viewing on the official website.

TMZ broke the story, Matthew Hutchins' lawyer, Brian Panish, fired off a blistering email Wednesday to Sheriff Adan Mendoza, demanding he takes down the video footage of Halyna dying on the church floor on the set of "Rust."

But, as of this post, the video was still live on the link provided by the Sheriff.

Halyna's husband ripped Sheriff Mendoza, saying he trampled the family's dignity and privacy by releasing the footage and other evidence in the "Rust" shooting case.

The footage shows Halyna bleeding as medics frantically tend to her ... and her husband argues it will cause irreparable harm to both him and their 9-year-old son Andros.

The family lawyer claims Mendoza had promised to let Halyna's husband review all the material from the case before its release, but he says the Sheriff double-crossed the family by releasing all the evidence without giving Matthew a chance to take a look first and weigh in.

We've learned the Sheriff hasn't even responded to attorney Panish's demand.

Florida high school football legend Sam Bruce -- who played briefly for the Miami Hurricanes -- has tragically died at 24 years old ... his former H.S. announced on Thursday.

In a post on the St. Thomas Aquinas football team's Facebook page, officials wrote, "R.I.P. Sam Bruce ! We Will Miss You and We Love You !"

Bruce's former 7-on-7 team, the South Florida Express, also confirmed the tragedy on Thursday ... writing in a tweet, "We are saddened to hear about the loss of one of the greatest players to ever come through SFE."

"Your infectious energy, and the ability to make anybody laugh will forever live in our hearts. We spoke with Sam's family, they just ask you to pray for their family during this time."

Further details surrounding Bruce's death have not yet been revealed.

Bruce was a superstar on the gridiron for Florida powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas ... lighting up fields so often, he got the nickname, "The Samborghini."

Bruce eventually earned a four-star rating and received dozens of scholarship offers ... before he eventually signed with the Miami Hurricanes in 2016.

Bruce did not play in a game for the 'Canes, however, as he was dismissed for violations of team rules just months into his freshman season.

Bruce went on to attend Mississippi Gulf Coast C.C. and Southeastern University ... and later played for the Indoor Football League. He said in 2021 that he had been involved in the making of the Kurt Warner biopic, "American Underdog."

Bruce's former teammates and others in the football world have been mourning his death on social media Thursday ... with Chad Johnson even posting a heartbroken emoji on his Twitter page.

Donny Davis died from alcohol and fentanyl intoxication ... TMZ has learned.

The Clark County Coroner has revealed his cause of death ... after getting autopsy results back for the longtime Vegas impersonator.

As we reported ... Donny tragically died in February in Vegas, where he was found in his hotel room bed ... after partying at a nearby hotel-casino, just hours before.

The beloved impersonator was well-known in Hollywood. He performed with Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus, Mariah Carey and Chelsea Handler ... just to name a few.

He became a regular on "Chelsea Lately" -- sometimes filling in for her go-to little person sidekick, Chuy Bravo. And, he was pals with Britney Spears for years. He was even hired as a dancer for Brit's Vegas residency show when it kicked off, back in 2013.

Donny did lots of private gigs for big stars like Paris Hilton, Victoria Beckham and Charlize Theron. But, his face also became familiar on the big screen ... appearing in 2017's "It's Gawd!" after being in "Pain and Gain."

Officials looking into the tragic death of James Madison Univ. softball star Lauren Bernett suspect she died by suicide ... TMZ Sports has confirmed.

Rockingham County Sheriff Bryan Hutcheson tells us ... "We are in the process of conducting a death investigation into the incident and it is currently classified as an apparent suicide."

Hutcheson declined to release further details of the probe on Wednesday ... saying an official report from the Medical Examiner's Office is still pending.

"Out of respect for her family and friends," Hutcheson said, "there is no other information to release at this time."

As we previously reported, JMU officials announced on Tuesday that Bernett -- a sophomore catcher for the Dukes -- had died at the age of 20. She had just earned Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Week honors on Monday for her performances in games earlier this month.

"College athletics is great because of the people with whom we get to interact every day," JMU officials said in announcing the tragedy on Tuesday. "We are a tight family. We are grateful that Lauren has been part of our JMU Athletics community and will always consider her to be a Duke. We will miss her dearly."

"Our thoughts are with her family; her coaches, teammates and friends; the rest of our department staff and student-athletes; and the entire JMU community. JMU Nation is a close community, and we grieve together."

JMU canceled its softball doubleheader on Wednesday against Longwood following the news ... and later canceled its weekend series with Delaware as well.

Halyna Hutchins' husband and young son have been re-victimized, this time by the Santa Fe County Sheriff, who released video of her as she lay dying after being shot.

Matthew Hutchins' lawyer, Brian Panish, fired off a blistering email to Sheriff Adan Mendoza, saying he trampled on their dignity and privacy by releasing the video and other evidence in the case.

Panish says Mendoza promised to let Matthew review all the material before its release, but he double-crossed the family by releasing all the evidence without giving Matthew a chance to look first.

Panish says in his email, obtained by TMZ, "Your office trampled on the constitutional rights of Hutchins." Indeed, there's a constitutional right in New Mexico for victims to be treated with fairness and dignity, and Panish says those rights were squarely violated.

Maybe even worse, Panish notes the footage of Matthew's wife, who lay bleeding as medics frantically tended to her, will cause irreparable harm to both him and their 9-year-old son Andros. Panish writes, "We fear, for example, that this shocking footage of Andros' mother dying may be material used by bullies to emotionally abuse him in the future."

And what's especially maddening ... Panish says the Sheriff didn't have to release this evidence ... it was discretionary.

A flight on its way to Egypt ended in a fatal crash back in 2016, and a new investigation reveals it all came down to one cigarette.

The report, viewed exclusively by Italian news organization Corriere Della Sera, concludes Pilot, Ali Ali Shoukair, lit a cigarette in the cockpit of an EgyptAir flight, causing oxygen that was leaking from an emergency mask to burst into flames.

Egyptian pilots smoked frequently in the cockpit, and it wasn't banned 6 years ago, at the time of the crash.

Egyptian authorities claimed at the time the plane was brought down in a terrorist attack ... however, no group claimed responsibility.

It was also claimed explosives were found on the bodies of the crash victims, although that was late discredited.

All 66 passengers and crew on board died when the Airbus A320 -- traveling from Paris to Cairo -- crashed into the Mediterranean Sea ... the plane violently swerved back and forth before spiraling downward.

Among the dead was also 40-year-old Richard Osman, whose second daughter had been born just three weeks before the crash.

Julie Heslouin, who lost her father and brother from the crash, responded to the new report, saying "We have been waiting since 2016 to understand why we lost our loved ones and officially no one told us anything."

In 2018, France's Civil Aviation Accident Bureau claimed it was likely a fire that started in the cockpit ... there was no mention of oxygen leaks or cigarettes.

A candlelight vigil was held in Cairo for the victims after their death.

Tekashi 6ix9ine is back to trolling Lil Durk after telling TMZ he doesn't instigate matters when it comes to these things.

The rainbow-haired rapper -- who just targeted the late King Von in his latest music video 'GINÉ' -- decided to up the ante on Tuesday when he found his way in the vicinity of Lil Durk's doppelgänger "Perkio."

The footage for the encounter is pretty wild as 6ix9ine and his crew surround the TikTok star ... only to bless him with a jacket embroidered with a photo of King Von, who was shot and killed in October 2020.

The IG caption reiterates 6ix9ine's overall beef mission statement: Lil Durk and OTF haven't avenged Von's death and it contradicts their lyrics.

What's also wild is Perkio's face when the jacket is placed on his shoulders. He looks extremely uncomfortable and even appears to remove it as Tekashi barks into the camera.

Perkio and the "Fake Drake" have been getting chummy these last few days, making TikTok videos and even hitting the club together. Even better, they have the blessings of the real artists they're emulating.

The video provides a 180° turn for Tekashi's latest moves, which include a modest return to the Billboard Charts thanks to a No. 83 debut for "GINÉ" and giving away $1 million Mexican pesos to a family in need.

Betty White's L.A. home is on the market, and her estate could be millions richer for it.

Betty's 3,029 square foot home in Brentwood, CA is listed for $10.575M. It has some great views of the famed Getty Museum ... with a massive backyard outfitted with the obligatory SoCal swimming pool.

Betty spent many years here -- she moved there in 1968. She lived there with husband Allen Ludden because it was central to a bunch of studios on the Westside of L.A. Betty stayed put after Allen died in 1981 ... in fact, she lived there until she died in the home last New Year's Eve.

There's also a guest house, where Betty and Allen enjoyed playing charades with friends like Jimmy and Gloria Stewart, Dinah Shore and Burt Reynolds.

If you're a lookie-loo, don't bother ... the only people who can tour the home are prequalified buyers and will be given no interior access to the home.

As we reported, a buyer has already laid claim to Betty's home in Carmel, CA, where Betty also spent lots of time. That house is incredible, with views of the famed Monterey Peninsula. It was listed at $7.9 mil, and a bidding war hiked the final price to $10.7 mil.

Betty wanted to live out her final days in the Carmel home, but had to live in the L.A. house for medical reasons.

Andrew Woolfolk -- the longtime saxophonist for Earth, Wind & Fire, and one of the OG members through their historic run -- has sadly died.

The veteran musician, who joined EW&F in 1972, passed away Sunday after battling a long illness he'd been afflicted with for at least six years ... this according to the band's lead (falsetto) singer, Philip Bailey.

PB writes, "I met him in High School, and we quickly became friends and band mates. Andrew Paul Woolfolk was his name. We lost him today."

He goes on to say Woolfolk had transitioned to the 'forever' from the land of the living, reflecting on their great memories and his great talent. Phil adds, "Funny. Competitive. Quick witted. And always styling. Booski…  I’ll see you on the other side, my friend."

Woolfolk was with Earth, Wind & Fire through their most formative and influential years in music -- having contributed to some of their biggest hits, including "September," "Boogie Wonderland," "Reasons," "Let's Groove," "That's the Way of the World," "Sing a Song," "Fantasy," "Shining Star," "After the Love Has Gone," "Devotion" and many more.

He took a break from the band in the late '80s and early '90s -- going on to collab with other artists like Deniece Williams, Phil Collins, Stanley Turrentine and others -- but reunited with the boys thereafter to perform and tour into the 21st century.

He was part of the group that was received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and of course ... was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000.

The guy's sax is, no doubt, a huge part of Earth, Wind & Fire's iconic sound ... and considering he was one of just a couple saxophonists in the group -- alongside the iconic work of The Phenix Horns -- he certainly made his presence known in their tunes.

Tragic news ... James Madison University softball star Lauren Bernett -- who was just named Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Week on Monday -- has died, the school announced.

She was just 20 years old.

In a statement announcing the sad news Tuesday morning, JMU officials did not reveal a cause of death ... but said the tragedy was "devastating."

"Our hearts are aching, hearing the news of the loss of one of our student-athletes," officials said ... "We are a tight family. We are grateful that Lauren has been part of our JMU Athletics community and will always consider her to be a Duke. We will miss her dearly."

Bernett, a sophomore, was a star catcher for the Dukes ... and had just had arguably her best week ever on the diamond for JMU.

In a game against College of Charleston on April 16, she recorded three hits and seven RBIs -- a JMU record. Just days later, in a series against Drexel on April 23, she logged hits in seven of her nine at-bats.

On Monday, the CAA handed her its Player of the Week award for her performances.

Bernett -- who was batting .336 this season with nine home runs -- was also a key contributor to the James Madison squad that made a deep run in the 2021 Women's College World Series.

"We love you, Lauren," the JMU softball team said in a tweet on Tuesday.

The team has canceled its Wednesday doubleheader against Longwood in wake of Bernett's death.

Matthew Stafford's wife just shared some sad news ... their beloved dog, Marley, passed away on Monday -- and the family is completely devastated.

The L.A. Rams quarterback and his wife got Marley right when Stafford was drafted into the NFL ... and Kelly says she "immediately filled Matthew’s side of the bed."

"I woke up this morning without a face in front of me that I’ve been used to waking up to for the past 13 years," Kelly said.

Kelly noted Marley was their "first baby" before the married couple had four daughters together -- in fact, Marley helped announce one of those pregnancies by holding a sign "Mom's pregnant" back in 2016.

"I know it shouldn’t be a surprise, but I still can’t believe she is gone," Kelly said, "I’m devastated and this house just doesn’t feel as full as it once did."

Stafford also shared a 3-minute tribute video of Marley with the song "The Sun Is Rising" by Britt Nicole playing in the background.

"This song is what I feel like what Marley has said every time I was hurting and crying on her," Stafford said.

"I feel like she’s looking over me saying the same. Miss you sweet girl."

The teenager who fell to his death at a ride in Florida should've never been allowed to get onboard -- something his folks are now claiming in a new lawsuit against the park.

Nekia Dodd and Yarnell Sampson -- the parents of late 14-year-old Tyre Sampson -- have filed a wrongful death suit, via attorneys Michael Haggard -- the managing partner of Harrard Law Firm -- and Ben Crump, against ICON Park and its pertinent associates, including the creators and operators of the free-fall ride itself, claiming negligence ... among other counts.

According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Sampson's parents allege the attraction in question had certain height and weight restrictions that their son was in clear violation of ... and which should've been addressed either via signage or from the staff itself on site.

His parents, however, claim none of that happened that day -- namely, they say there were NO signs to dissuade people from getting on who shouldn't, and nobody working there said anything either ... so Tyre got in thinking there wasn't a problem, when there clearly was.

Not just that, but the parents also claim the ride itself wasn't as safe as it should've been compared to other rides of the same nature ... alleging those other free-fall type drops are often protected against with not just a shoulder harness, but a seatbelt as well -- SOP, they insist.

This IP ride, though, did NOT have a seatbelt, per the lawsuit, and the Sampsons believe that contributed to their son being ejected from his seat and plummeting to the ground.

As you know ... Tyre hit the ground from about a 100-foot height and succumbed to his injuries. In addition to negligence, Tyre's parents are also claiming strict liability against some of the defendants. They're asking for damages and a jury trial before a judge.

Devastating news ... Sarah Shulze, a track star for the University of Wisconsin, has died, officials confirmed to TMZ Sports.

She was only 21.

The director for the Dane County Medical Examiner's office in Wisconsin tells us Sarah's death was ruled a suicide.

The Wisconsin Badgers released a statement ... saying, "The Wisconsin Athletics community is heartbroken by the unexpected passing of Sarah Shulze, a junior with the Badger women's track and field and cross country teams."

"Sarah was a beloved daughter, sister, granddaughter, friend, teammate, and Badger student-athlete. We extend our deepest sympathies and sincere condolences to Sarah's family, friends, and Badger teammates during this extraordinarily difficult time."

"Our primary focus is the support of the Shulze family and our student-athletes," they added.

According to NBC, Sarah's family released a statement in the aftermath of her death ... saying, "Sarah took her own life. Balancing athletics, academics and the demands of everyday life overwhelmed her in a single, desperate moment. Like you, we are shocked and grief stricken while holding on tightly to all that Sarah was."

They continued ... "Above all other things, Sarah was a power for good in the world. Her deep compassion was evident in her devotion to her sisters Abbey and Ella, the love her parents felt from her every single day, and the extra care she took in moments shared with her grandparents and cousins."

R.I.P.

Brad Fischetti, the last living member of LFO, isn't going to stop playing one of the band's hits even though its lyrics refer to now-canceled Abercrombie & Fitch, which was roasted in Netflix's latest doc ... and it's all about honoring his late bandmates.

Brad tells us he'll continue to perform the 1999 hit "Summer Girls" at his concerts ... as you'll recall, the chorus to LFO's song goes, "I like girls that wear Abercrombie & Fitch ... I'd take her if I had one wish."

A&F's shady work behind the scenes has recently been exposed by Netflix's docufilm, "White Hot: The Rise & Fall of Abercrombie & Fitch" ... which features former employees revealing a toxic workplace that emphasized thin, white beautiful people as their vision of "All-American."

Brad's goal with anything he does with the band is to honor his lifelong friends and band members Devin Lima and Rich Cronin.

TMZ broke both stories ... the other two members of LFO both passed away from battles with leukemia - Rich Cronin in 2010 and Devin Lima in 2018. Brad, the last remaining member, has done his best to keep their memory alive.