True Blood star Nelsan Ellis’ fatal heart failure was caused by complications from alcohol withdrawal, according to his family. The actor, 39, spent four days in the hospital before being pronounced dead.
In a statement, his family indicated he had tried to manage the withdrawal on his own this time, rather than enter rehab, which lead to multiple organ system failures.
“Nelsan was a gentle, generous and kind soul,” the statement read. “Nelsan was ashamed of his addiction and thus was reluctant to talk about it during his life. His family, however, believes that in death he would want his life to serve as a cautionary tale in an attempt to help others.”
Image via Flickr/naveedjawaid
