KISS guitarist Ace Frehley has died at the age of 74.
What was his cause of death? How did the rocker die?
- According to TMZ, Frehley “suffered a brain bleed when he took a fall in his studio a couple weeks ago.”
- The guitarist was on life support, it was reported on October 16. However, he then died, according to TMZ. He was on a ventilator, TMZ reported, and his family was considering turning off life support.
- People reported that Frehley died on October 16 in Morristown, NJ, after suffering a “recent fall at his home.”
- On October 6, a post on his Instagram page read, “Due to some ongoing medical issues, Ace has made the difficult decision to cancel the remainder of his 2025 dates.”
Frehley was a seminal member of the band. According to Rolling Stone, he “played with the group from their inception in 1973 until 1982,” and then rejoined a reunited KISS in the 1990s. On Instagram, Frehley described himself as, “The one and only. The Spaceman. Space Ace.”
Ace Frehley’s Family Says the ‘Magnitude of His Passing Is of Epic Proportions’
Photo by Gary Miller/Getty Images
Frehley’s family released a statement to People.
“We are completely devastated and heartbroken. In his last moments, we were fortunate enough to have been able to surround him with loving, caring, peaceful words, thoughts, prayers and intentions as he left this earth,” the statement read.
“We cherish all of his finest memories, his laughter, and celebrate his strengths and kindness that he bestowed upon others. The magnitude of his passing is of epic proportions, and beyond comprehension. Reflecting on all of his incredible life achievements, Ace’s memory will continue to live on forever!”
Fans are filling up Frehley’s Instagram page with tributes. “🔥😭 RIP Ace,” wrote one.
“Man…gut punch. Thoughts are with all Ace’s loved ones. 🎸☄️” wrote another fan.
“RIP Ace. You inspired me to play… 😢💔🪦,” a distraught fan wrote. “Rest in peace Ace. A true legend,” another fan wrote.
Frehley’s family announced that he had fallen in September, but a statement on his Instagram page at that time painted the incident as minor.
“Ace had a minor fall in his studio, resulting in a trip to the hospital,” the post read. “He is fine, but against his wishes, his doctor insists that he refrain from travel at this time. As a result, he is forced to cancel his performance at the Antelope Valley Fair in Lancaster, California on Friday, September 26th.”
The post continued, “Please go to the fair to support his friends in Quiet Riot and Vixen, and Ace looks forward to continuing on his tour and finishing work on his next album, ‘Origins Vol. 4.” That post was made just over a month before he died.
