I think that Kate will come home to start the show from work and the kids will be doing there normal thing. Kate will wonder where Paul is and one of the kids will say that he went for pizza.
The kids and Kate will have some conversations and then the phone will ring and one of the kids will pick up. The will tell Kate it is for her and she will ask who it is and the kid will say that it is the hospital. She will tell the kid that answered the phone to take a message since she just got off work and doesn't want to be call back in. The kid will tell the person on the phone this and then ..with a serious look on his/her face.. say that it is an emergency. From there....I don't know what will happen but you can be sure it will be a VERY emotional show and that the tears coming from the cast will be true feelings..all the while trying to stay in character.

I think an accident might be too drastic and we have to remember they can't show him die since he is already gone.

I think they should do what happened to my uncle.

in 1985 my uncle Robbie died in his sleep from a brain aneurism at age 32 and like John nobody knew there was a problem until it was too late.

I feel so badly for John's daughter Stella she'll be too young to remember her father. I was almost 5 when my uncle died and I have no memories of him whatsoever. In a way Stella is lucky because she has years of video of her dad. I don't even know what my uncle's voice sounded like. :(

They might do what they did in Archie Bunkers place and have him die before the episode begins.

I think that all the ideas posted are great, but why not stick to facts, since you are in a sort of way bringing reality to the show with the death of John Ritter there is the death of Paul. Why not have him die of the real reason John Ritter died. It may make others understand about his illness and why it was undetected. It would help others to understand what he dealt with. You could do it without him being there. You could have him already passed away when the episode starts and then have Katey's character telling the kids how their father died. Since she plays a nurse she could have already been at the hospital when someone rushed him to the hospital or was brought in by ambulance. And since she plays a nurse she would have information and knowledge of the illness. You could use the episode to honor John Ritters memory as well as inform others of his death how it occured and teach others about the illness that may also serve to help others deal with their own illness or to know the signs that something may really be wrong with you and not to take it lightly if you have the same symptons that John Ritter had. At least teach others and let his death not be in vain.