RIP

April the Giraffe, whose pregnancy captivated the world in 2017 and racked up millions of YouTube views, has died after her arthritis became too much to bear ... according to Animal Adventure Park in NY.

The zoo announced that April's most recent veterinary exam revealed her condition was worsening, "prompting the determination that euthanasia was the humane and appropriate course of action."

It adds ... "We credit and thank the outstanding collective care provided by the park's veterinarians and animal care team with keeping April happy and healthy during her more than five year stay at Animal Adventure."

April will reportedly be cremated after her necropsy and her ashes will be returned to the zoo.

As we reported ... millions of viewers tuned in to the park's live stream of April in Spring 2017 in anticipation of her giving birth, and she kept everyone waiting for weeks.

When April's calf finally popped out on April 15, more than 1.2 million were watching ... including us. The baby giraffe, a boy, was named Tajiri.

When it was all said and done, Animal Adventure Park became the second most live-viewed channel in YouTube's history at the time with 232 million live views from February to May.

Sadly, April is preceded in death by her youngest son, Azizi, who was born in March 2019 but unexpectedly died at a Texas zoo last year.

Giraffes commonly live up to 26 years, but April didn't quite make it that long.

She was 20.

"Big Ang" star Linda Torres is dead after contracting the coronavirus.

Big Ang's sister, Janine Detore, tells TMZ ... Linda died Thursday at Staten Island University Hospital, not long after learning she had COVID-19.

We're told Linda, who also had a few cameos on "Mob Wives," was placed on a ventilator after doctors diagnosed her with the deadly virus, but it wasn't enough to help her pull through.

Linda had underlying medical conditions making her more at risk for a fatal case of COVID-19 -- besides her age, we're told she had breast cancer, and recently had surgery to implant a chemo port.

We're told Linda's daughters were taking care of her after the surgery, and when she developed a fever they took her back to the hospital thinking the chemo port was getting infected, and that's when Linda tested positive for COVID.

It's been 5 years since Big Ang passed after battling throat cancer.

Linda's family and friends were keeping the faith, and remained hopeful to the end that she could beat the virus.

She was 67.

G. Gordon Liddy -- the mastermind behind the Watergate break-in -- said he would go to his grave without talking ... and he's officially done just that.

Gordon's son, Thomas Liddy, tells TMZ ... Gordon died Tuesday morning in Mt. Vernon, Virginia. Gordon, who had been sick and was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, died at the home of his daughter, Alexandra Liddy Bourne.

We're told Gordon did NOT die of COVID-19. In fact, Thomas says his father had received the vaccine 3 weeks ago in Maryland. Thomas and Alexandra were holding Gordon's hands as he passed away.

A little history lesson here for the young ones ... Gordon -- a political operative and former FBI agent -- was one of the guys behind the bungled 1972 break-in at the Democratic National Committee's Watergate headquarters.

They had initially planted bugs and photographed crucial docs ... and gotten away clean. But, some of the burglars -- with Gordon in a Watergate hotel room running point guard -- returned to the scene a few weeks later and got caught.

Gordon was among those arrested and indicted on charges of burglary, wiretapping and conspiracy. Of course, the scandal -- from the break-in to the cover-up -- led to President Richard Nixon's resignation in 1974.

And, while some sang like canaries to get lighter sentences ... Gordon kept true to his word and kept his mouth shut. He spent nearly 4 and a half years behind bars after refusing to testify to a Senate committee ... but President Jimmy Carter would later commute his 6 to 20-year sentence.

After getting out of prison, Gordon made his mark on the small screen with minor roles in "Miami Vice" and "18 Wheels of Justice" ... but it was his nationally syndicated radio talk show that brought him stardom in the 1990s until his retirement in 2012.

The Black Mamba's daughter is now a cardinal and gold Trojan ... Natalia Bryant just got accepted into USC on Tuesday -- and Vanessa says Kobe would've been "so proud!"

Vanessa shared the amazing news with heartwarming videos ... showing a PUMPED Natalia after she got her acceptance letter into the University of Southern California.

In one of Vanessa's vids of the special moment, 18-year-old Natalia jumped up and down over and over again ... and screamed "I got in!" repeatedly.

In the other Vanessa video, she showed off all the gifts she gave Natalia for the accomplishment ... and they included balloons, USC swag and some custom Trojan-themed Kobe kicks.

"Tears of joy," Vanessa said of the moment. "I’m SO happy for you Nani! I know daddy is so PROUD OF YOU. I am so PROUD OF YOU!! Your hard work and dedication was so worth it."

"You pushed through the most excruciating pain imaginable and you succeeded. I wish Daddy and Gigi were physically here to celebrate but I know they’re here in spirit. We love you so much!"

Natalia made it pretty clear she's USC-bound after the acceptance letter ... posting a pic of her in SC gear and writing, "See You Soon."

It's been a really good past few weeks for Natalia ... remember, she just signed a deal in February with IMG Models that she was also stoked about.

Kobe was a big USC guy -- who not only attended basketball and football games but also spoke to classes, according to reporter Arash Markazi.

"It's crazy seeing my dad. I'm like, 'Where's my mom? She's gonna come. And, obviously, she's not gonna show up. That affected me, but I go out there and play the best I can for this team."

Karl-Anthony Towns admits it was extremely emotional to have his father back in the stands at his NBA game on Monday -- the first time he's attended a game in person since the death of Karl's mom.

As we previously reported, Jackie Cruz-Towns passed from COVID-19 complications on April 13, 2020.

Jackie and her husband, Karl Towns Sr., were staples at their son's basketball games from the youth level all the way to the pros ... but Karl Sr. hadn't been to a game in person since her death.

That changed on Monday when Karl Sr. strutted into the Barclay's Center in Brooklyn to watch his son's Minnesota Timberwolves take on the Nets.

"Gonna do it for his mom tonight," Karl Sr. said on his way to his seat ... "Wolves, let's go!"

Unfortunately, Minnesota couldn't overcome that insane Nets offense and lost 112 to 107 -- but Karl Jr. played REALLY WELL, finishing with 31 points, 12 rebounds and 5 assists.

After the game, KAT opened up about what it meant to have his father back in the building.

"It was really the first time having family watch me playing in person,"  Towns said.

"He understood how upset I was after the loss ... But he came to me, and he told me something I don't know if he should've told me. It got me a little emotional. He told me my mom would've been proud with how I played tonight."

KAT said he also shared an emotional moment with his dad BEFORE tip-off.

"Me and my dad got emotional before the game. Because he made his presence known. It affected me because my mom always did that.”

“My mom would be the one to go to the stanchion or be there and wave at me until I said hi to her or came and hugged her.”

Pro-wrestling star Chris Jericho donated $2,500 to the family of an Uber Eats driver who was killed last week during an alleged botched carjacking ... telling TMZ Sports he was extremely saddened by the story and felt compelled to help.

"Just the feeling of terror he must’ve had being stuck halfway out of the car as the thieves ... mere children ... hit the gas. Something out of a horror movie," Jericho tells us.

If you're not familiar with the situation ... Mohammad Anwar -- a 66-year-old food delivery driver who immigrated from Pakistan in 2014 -- tragically died Tuesday in Washington D.C. after officials say two girls -- ages 13 and 15 -- allegedly deployed a Taser on the driver in an apparent attempt to steal the vehicle.

The incident was captured on cell phone video and appears to Anwar attempting to re-enter his vehicle while at least one of the girls is inside the car.

At one point, Anwar can be heard yelling, "This is my car" -- and that's when someone inside the vehicle punches the gas, which sends the car down the block for 9 full seconds before it eventually crashes.

The car flipped over on its side -- and Anwar was killed.

In light of the devastating tragedy, the Anwar family -- which says Mohammed was their financial provider -- started a GoFundMe to help ease the monetary burden in the wake of his death.

The fund has already raised over $808k (the initial goal was $100k) ... thanks to Jericho and over 23k other donors.

The former WWE and current AEW star tells us he knows his donation can't fix everything ... but he just wanted to help and show the family that people care.

"I just thought the whole situation was terrible and it really hit me hard."

Jericho added ... "It's not much, but it's the most I could do to try and bring some light into a dark situation."

Former President Barack Obama's grandmother has died at the age of 99 after a brief illness.

Sarah Ogwel Onyango Obama's daughter shared the news Monday, saying her mother had died at a hospital in the city of Kisumu in Kenya ... a family spokesperson shared that Mama Sarah had been sick for a week, but did not die of COVID-19.

The matriarch of the Obama family and second wife of Barack's grandfather, Mama Sarah was passionate about raising money to educate girls and orphans in Kenya. She even had a foundation that fed and educated children who lost their parents.

Mama Sarah became somewhat of a celebrity in Africa during Obama's time in The White House, even attending his inauguration in 2009. In his memoir, Barack referred to her as "Granny" and referenced a trip when he met her in the '80s ... he also mentioned her during his 2014 speech at the U.N. General Assembly.

Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta, released a statement on Mama Sarah's death, saying, "The passing away of Mama Sarah is a big blow to our nation. We've lost a strong, virtuous woman. A matriarch who held together the Obama family and was an icon of family values."

RIP

Two teenage girls are facing felony murder charges after carjacking an Uber Eats vehicle with the driver inside and then crashing it ... ending in the death of the Uber driver.

Tuesday's incident was captured on video that is now circulating. The girls, ages 13 and 15, targeted the Washington D.C. car driven by Mohammad Anwar. They allegedly Tased the driver and then made their move to steal the vehicle.

You hear Anwar scream, "This is my car!" ... as the engine begins to rev.

The teenagers floor it as horrified bystanders look on. You see Anwar hanging out the front door of the vehicle ... and then you hear the crash.

The car was on its side and the teenagers then get out of the vehicle. Anwar is laying on the pavement, mortally wounded.

Anwar, who immigrated from Pakistan back in 2014, was pronounced dead.

And Uber spokesman said, "We are devastated by this tragic news and our hearts go out to Mohammad's family during this difficult time. We're grateful the suspects have been arrested and thank the Metropolitan Police Department for their diligence with this investigation."

Houston Tumlin -- the kid who played Ricky Bobby's son in 'Talladega Nights' -- grew up to proudly serve his country, but sadly suffered from PTSD and depression as a result, which led to his suicide ... his mother tells TMZ.

Michelle Tumlin tells us ... her son honorably served in the U.S. Army for nearly 6 years, earning many accolades as an E-4 specialist in the 101st Airborne Division.

Houston's awards include the Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, but Michelle says he was most proud of earning his Air Assault wings.

Michelle says, "Houston received a different set of wings" this week, and while the family is hurting from the loss, she says they want to stress to anyone who is suffering to reach out and get help.

She says ... "Houston Lee Tumlin was so much more than a child actor from 'Talladega Nights.' My beautiful boy brought joy to everyone he encountered and made them feel special. Houston fought his battle for years, and we will continue to fight for him."

We're told Houston will have a full military funeral, and his family marched in an event over the weekend in Helena, Alabama to raise awareness for veteran suicide and PTSD support.

We broke the story ... Houston died by suicide Tuesday at his home in Pelham.

Along with his military service, he was best known for playing the foul-mouthed Walker Bobby, the eldest son of Will Ferrell's character, in the 2006 comedy, "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby."

Houston was 28.

Deshayla Harris -- one of the stars of 'Bad Girls Club' -- died after falling victim to one of several shootings that occurred in her home state ... TMZ has confirmed.

Virginia Beach PD confirmed Deshayla's ID Saturday as one of two fatalities resulting from three separate shootings from Friday night ... which appear to be unrelated, but happened within a short time of one another. The other victim is 25-year-old Donovan Lynch.

Cops say Deshayla was a bystander for the second shooting, in which a stray bullet from the crossfire hit her. Police do not believe this was a mass shooting -- simply shots fired erupting from feuding parties near the beachfront area of town, where all the resorts lie.

Deshayla is said to have died at the scene. Upwards of eight other people were injured from the shootings -- and police say they have 3 individuals in custody in connection to at least one of those. Ahmon Adams, Nyquez Baker and Devon Dorsey Jr. were arrested and charged with several different counts -- including assault, use and reckless handling of a firearm, among others. VBPD says none of these guys were involved in the shooting that killed Deshayla ... it's unclear if any suspects have been apprehended for that just yet.

Deshayla is known for her appearance on Season 17 of 'BGC' ... which was dubbed 'East Meets West.' They slugged her on the show as the Firecracker Fashionista. Deshayla was portrayed as feisty and a proud East Coaster. She was also a brawler -- getting into a memorable fight with another cast member, Francesca, after spitting in her face.

Despite the bad blood on the show, it appears some of her fellow costars sent their condolences on word that she'd been killed, including Key Marie who posted a tribute to Deshayla on Instagram.

She writes, "No matter how much I refused to talk to you...you never took no for an answer you popped up to my show just to prove fixing our friendship meant something to you 🥲 hardest part about losing you is I never fully forgave you 😫😔 I literally let that TV s*** stand between us building a connection outside of tv 😔🥲🥲🥲 you didn’t deserve this man this shit jus don’t feel real ....I’m sick affffff 🥲🥲 rest easy Babygirl "

Deshayla's final IG post from Friday appears to show her out and about in downtown Norfolk, VA -- which is a stone's throw away from where she was ultimately gunned down.

She was 28.

Devastating news from the Minnesota Twins ... former MLB player and current bench coach Mike Bell has passed away after a battle with kidney cancer. He was only 46.

"The entire Minnesota Twins organization is saddened by the death of current bench coach Mike Bell, who passed away today at the age of 46 from cancer," the team said in a statement Friday.

"At the request of the Bell family, we will play tonight’s game in honor of Mike."

Bell was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the first round of the 1993 amateur draft ... and played 7 seasons in the minor leagues.

He made his MLB debut in 2000 with his hometown Cincinnati Reds ... hitting 2 home runs and 4 RBI before returning to the minors. He retired from playing in April 2005.

Bell's family has a long history in baseball -- Mike's brother, David, played 12 years in the MLB and is the current manager for the Reds.

His dad, Buddy, had an 18-year playing career in the majors before coaching from 1996-2007.

Mike's grandfather, Gus Bell, is in the Reds Hall of Fame.

Earlier this week, Twins manager Rocco Baldelli praised Bell ... saying he was "absolutely invaluable to what we do," according to the Star Tribune.

"I feel fortunate, I really do feel lucky, that I've had the opportunity to work with [him],"

Grand Canyon University hoops star Oscar Frayer -- who scored 8 points in his team's NCAA Tournament game Saturday -- died in a car crash Tuesday ... school officials confirmed.

He was just 23 years old.

Frayer was one of three people riding inside of an SUV at around 2:30 AM Tuesday in Lodi, Calif. when California Highway Patrol officials said it veered off the road and slammed into a CHP patrol vehicle.

Officials say the SUV then continued onward, struck a tree and became fully engulfed in flames. All 3 passengers in the SUV -- which included Frayer's older sister, Andrea Moore -- tragically died.

The CHP says two of its officers were injured in the wreck, but are expected to survive. CHP officials added "both will have a long road to recovery and we will eagerly await their return to full duty."

Frayer -- a senior this year -- is regarded as one of "the most accomplished players" in GCU basketball history, according to school officials ... and the team mourned his death in a lengthy statement released Thursday night.

"He was the heartbeat of our team with his vibrant, energetic personality," GCU men's basketball head coach Bryce Drew said.

"I cannot put into words the hurt and sadness we all feel, but we know he is in heaven and that gives us great joy to know we will be together again."

Frayer played 26 minutes in GCU's loss to Iowa on Saturday. The Lopes entered the tournament as a #15 seed.

The game was the 107th career start for Frayer at GCU ... and he had tweeted after the loss, "I bleed purple FOREVER!!!! THANK YOU LOPE NATION for the last 5 years..it’s been nothing less than amazing."

Jessica Walter, known for her Emmy-nominated "Arrested Development" role and whose acting career spanned 6 decades, has died.

The actress died in her sleep at her NYC home Wednesday ... according to her daughter, who did not announce the cause of her death.

Jessica's best known, and beloved, for playing the devious alcoholic socialite Lucille Bluth on 'Arrested.' She appeared in all 84 episodes during the series, from 2003 to 2019, and was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2005.

She won an Emmy in 1975 for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series as the title character of the NBC miniseries, "Amy Prentiss." Jessica also got Emmy noms for roles on "Trapper John, M.D." and "The Streets of San Francisco."

True film aficionados will remember her role in Clint Eastwood's directorial debut in "Play Misty for Me." New school fans will recognize her voice as Malory Archer on the hit FX animated series "Archer."

Jessica is survived by her daughter, Brooke Bowman ... the Senior VP for programming at FOX Entertainment who said, "It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of my beloved mom Jessica. A working actor for over six decades, her greatest pleasure was bringing joy to others through her storytelling both on screen and off."

Bowman added, "While her legacy will live on through her body of work, she will also be remembered by many for her wit, class and overall joie de vivre."

The family's asking that, in lieu of flowers, donations are made to Guide Dogs for the Blind.

RIP

St. Louis Blues legend Bobby Plager -- who had his jersey retired by the team back in 2017 -- died Wednesday after a car crash in Missouri.

The 78-year-old was killed when his vehicle was involved in a two-car accident on Interstate 64 in St. Louis, according to multiple media outlets.

The Blues said in a statement hours after his passing the org. is devastated by the tragic news.

"It is unimaginable to imagine the St. Louis Blues without Bobby Plager," the team said ... adding, "Today, our hearts are broken, but one day they will be warmed again by memories of his character, humor and strong love for his family, our community, the St. Louis Blues and generations of fans who will miss him dearly."

Plager began his career in 1964 with the New York Rangers ... but after he joined the Blues in 1967, he went on to build an unrivaled resume with the team.

In his 11 years in St. Louis, he played in 616 games ... and helped lead the Blues to multiple Stanley Cup Finals appearances.

After his playing days ended following the 1977-78 season ... he joined the team's front office and went on to hold multiple different positions with org.

In 2017, the Blues retired his #5 ... making him just the seventh Blues player to earn that honor.

In their statement, the Blues said they were thrilled Plager got to celebrate their Stanley Cup victory in 2019 before his passing.

"The St. Louis Blues send all of our love and support to his family, and we hope everyone will find strength knowing that Bobby got his parade."

French Olympian snowboarder Julie Pomagalski -- who won a World Championship in 1999 -- has died after an avalanche in the Swiss Alps on Tuesday.

She was 40.

The French Ski Federation made the announcement Wednesday .. saying Pomagalski and a guide, Bruno Cutelli, died in the accident.

Police say the cause of the avalanche is unknown at this time.

Pomagalski was a two-time Olympian for France ... finishing 6th in the parallel giant slalom at the 2002 Salt Lake City games ... and also competed in the 2006 games in Torino, Italy.

She was also the 1999 World Champion in snowboard cross, and won the 2004 Snowboard World Cup and was Vice-World Champion in parallel giant in 2003.

Skiing runs in Pomagalski's family ... her grandfather, Jean Pomagalski, invented the first ski lift in 1934 and is the founder of POMA, a manufacturer for chairlifts.

The French Olympics team made a statement Wednesday, saying "the tragic death of Julie, snowboard world champion and Olympian, leaves the France OLY team in mourning for one of their own."

Houston Tumlin, who starred as a child actor 15 years ago in 'Talladega Nights,' has taken his own life.

Houston shot himself in the head inside his home in Pelham, Alabama around 4:30 PM Tuesday ... Shelby County Coroner Lina Evans tells TMZ.

We're told Houston's girlfriend was inside the home at the time of his suicide ... and so far, no note has been found.

Houston is best known for playing the foul-mouthed, 10-year-old Walker Bobby, son of Will Ferrell's character Ricky Bobby, in the 2006 comedy, "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby."

His character had a ton of memorable moments and lines in 'Talladega Nights' ... like the famous dinner scene opposite Grayson Russell as Texas Ranger Bobby.

The hit movie is Houston's only acting credit ... and as recently as 2015 he was reportedly serving in the Army's 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell. He also worked other jobs, like repairing telephone lines.

Houston was only 28.

RIP