You know I have heard several people say that Ritter looked swollen and puffy in recent weeks and even months and I saw the same thing.

I know part of it could've been the aortic dissection or just the fact that he gained weight but what was his lifestyle like? Did he eat a pretty health diet? Did he exercise? Did he smoke?

In Three's Company, a lot of the stuff they said the ate on the show was hamburgers, hot dogs, etc. and I hope he wasnt' eating that stuff on a regular basis in real life.

Doctors have said that high blood pressure and high cholesterol level increase the chance of hastening this aortic dissection.

Plus, I highly doubt he exercised. It just doesn't look like he did. He never seemed to like (Or be any good at exercise..HA HA!!) exercise on Three's Company.

So, I would appreciate all of you to give your input.

If you ask me.. It looked like he ate everything/anything..

He should have been on some sort of diet..

he had no idea about his heart problem....so he didnt pay attention

it looked like he gained a little extra weight but lets not make a fuss about this....

I'm posting this not because perhaps John Ritter ate too many donuts...but rather because his recent weight gain had a certain unnatural, unhealthy and puffy look to it....a look that perhaps should have prompted closer medical attention (so I am NOT criticizing his eating habits here)....

Your mention of John's recent "puffiness" is what I kept noticing over the past few months. It's one thing to gain weight, but John simply did not look right...his face seemed to take on a whole different "swollen" appearance...sort of like when people are on certain medications.

In fact, when I learned of John's death on Friday, I was in a state of shock...but there was also a small voice in the back of my head that kept saying, "I THOUGHT that something wasn't right with him!". I'm no medical expert, but he simply did not look well in recent months.

Originally posted by pilotguy
I'm posting this not because perhaps John Ritter ate too many donuts...but rather because his recent weight gain had a certain unnatural, unhealthy and puffy look to it....a look that perhaps should have prompted closer medical attention (so I am NOT criticizing his eating habits here)....

Your mention of John's recent "puffiness" is what I kept noticing over the past few months. It's one thing to gain weight, but John simply did not look right...his face seemed to take on a whole different "swollen" appearance...sort of like when people are on certain medications.

In fact, when I learned of John's death on Friday, I was in a state of shock...but there was also a small voice in the back of my head that kept saying, "I THOUGHT that something wasn't right with him!". I'm no medical expert, but he simply did not look well in recent months.


I agree. He did not look like himself at all. And it didn't seem like fat, it was more swollen, like a reaction to something. I wonder if maybe there is something we don't know, maybe they'll have it on biography tv or an e! special. i hope he took care of himself, he certainly deserved the best.

I've noticed this too.

I did some research and I saw that John's dad Tex Ritter also died of a heart problem, and his dad also died a few days before his (Tex Ritter) birthday. John's dad was 68 when he died and John was only 54, and on the news they said that what John died from could be heredditery (Sp) thats just an observation.

I guess it was just me, but I thought John was looking great. It looked like he lost weight! I guess my perception is a little off.

No, John always went to the gym everyday (even the day he died). So what if he put on some weight in the past few years, people during middle age tend to do that, though he did lose a lot of weight recently.

He wasn't obese, if he was, then that would be the problem. There are some actors out there who are older and much fatter than John (*cough* Sally Struthers), so I don't think this has anything to do with this.

Originally posted by pavanbadal
No, John always went to the gym everyday (even the day he died). So what if he put on some weight in the past few years, people during middle age tend to do that, though he did lose a lot of weight recently.

He wasn't obese, if he was, then that would be the problem. There are some actors out there who are older and much fatter than John (*cough* Sally Struthers), so I don't think this has anything to do with this. I know that Sally Struthers doesn't look good at all.

Originally posted by mr roper
I've noticed this too.


so did i

I had a feeling this thread would turn out to be something it wasn't. LOL. I don't think the intention of this thread was to make fun of John's appearance, but simply to figure out how his death happened (well, besides the reason we already know, of course).

I can't speak for the original poster, but it's clear what was said is being taken out of context. I could be wrong, lol. And If I am, I'm sorry to all the other posters.

It's clear John was active. But also, from the late 1970s until now, there is obviously going to be a huge contrast in how someone appears. At times (just watch the ABC retrospective from Tuesday) he looked incredibly thin and healthy on the set of 'Rules' and other times, notably this year, he looked pale and tired and overweight. I'm in NO WAY bashing him, his death truly hit me hard. I really think something was going on that was not revealed. He was bloated, not overweight, at the WB's Family Awards earlier this year. I had a feeling something was wrong with him.

Being healthy does not just come from exercising, in fact, a lot of it has to do with the food you eat. This is coming from personal experience. As a guy, I wasn't overweight by any means, my arms, etc. looked normal and fine. I was just constantly (sorry if it sounds gross) bloated in the stomach. Weak. Tired. Constantly sweated, short of breath. I went to a doctor not long ago, and no, I don't have a heart problem, but my Triglycerides (the spelling and what it is escapes me, sorry) were beyond high (12000, at least, I can't remember now, it could be 1200, which sounds right) and the doctor told me to go on a diet and excerise much more than I was doing. So, I cut out all sugars, among other things. Sugar substitute, or whatever is fine. I have lean meat, chicken, fish, etc. I eat substitute eggs, etc. I splurge once a week and have a hamburger, or steak or something. I was once 180 pounds. I swear, I didn't even look fat, at all. It was all from what I was eating. Junk and a bunch of pure crap. I was 180 two months ago, now I'm 160. I haven't excerised once (well, I am now) and it was all from what I was eating. I'm still shocked at the drastic weight loss. I'm really not kidding.

Anyway, enough about that. John's appearance could have been a number of things. He didn't look good towards the end. Maybe he was secretly ill and we just didn't know it? What I'm trying to say is, it could be numerous reasons. I'm still so depressed he is gone, and I'll be sad until the day I die that I never got to meet him. My cousin was visiting up until yesterday, staying with me. He didn't understand how a straight guy, like myself, could even cry over someone you didn't know. I mean, I was fighting hard not to cry during the Ritter tribute. I did, but not like sobbing, lol. Just some tears. That special really helped me accept it. I just can't imagine what his family is feeling if I was this sad. Anyway, after watching the special, the Wayne Brady show had a nice little lookback on John being on his show, his antics and such. I didn't cry once. I just beamed and smiled and laughed. It was so strange, lol, but that special really just helped me overcome the sadness. It was nice.

Well there is still a big deabate about what foods we should eat, take a look at the science behind the Adkins Diet for more info. how you feel also has a lot to do with psychology rather than physiology I think none of us have any idea whether the puffy look had anything to do with John's demise or not. I have to imagine that if he got puffed up and the cause want he stopped exercising or started eating just Grandma Trippers brownies he would have been checked out by his doc.

If you want to see puffy, take a look at Jerry Lewis. pumpkin:

Sorry to sound like the sore bullet but this man just passed away and your all arguing over how many doughnuts and hamburgers he ate? Even if he had excercised and eaten healthy, it would have eventually happened. Aortic Dissections can be caused by a number of things including blunt trauma (remember all the falls, hits, and punches he has recieved performing his slapstick physical humor) or it can be because of heredity. His father died of a heart attack. He probably his this problem all his life and only in his older age did it really start to effect him. How do ya'll know he wasnt healthy and excecised regularly? Leave him alone. It's over and arguing about how he lived wont change anything. I'm sorry but it bothered me that ya'll are saying "if he only" or "wat if". There's no more ifs.
I Love John

Originally posted by AngelofLaughter
Sorry to sound like the sore bullet but this man just passed away and your all arguing over how many doughnuts and hamburgers he ate? Even if he had excercised and eaten healthy, it would have eventually happened. Aortic Dissections can be caused by a number of things including blunt trauma (remember all the falls, hits, and punches he has recieved performing his slapstick physical humor) or it can be because of heredity. His father died of a heart attack. He probably his this problem all his life and only in his older age did it really start to effect him. How do ya'll know he wasnt healthy and excecised regularly? Leave him alone. It's over and arguing about how he lived wont change anything. I'm sorry but it bothered me that ya'll are saying "if he only" or "wat if". There's no more ifs.
I Love John

I agree with you...and brace yourself, gang, things are going to get worse....

I was in the supermarket checkout line today and saw the tabloid papers with cover headlines like "JOHN RITTER KEPT ILLNESS A SECRET", "JOHN RITTER: HE DIDN'T HAVE TO DIE!", "JOHN RITTER KNEW OF HEART PROBLEM, BUT HIS FAMILY DIDN'T", etc. etc.....I just stood there in line and thought to myself, "Hoo boy, here we go!".

Originally posted by pilotguy
I agree with you...and brace yourself, gang, things are going to get worse....

I was in the supermarket checkout line today and saw the tabloid papers with cover headlines like "JOHN RITTER KEPT ILLNESS A SECRET", "JOHN RITTER: HE DIDN'T HAVE TO DIE!", "JOHN RITTER KNEW OF HEART PROBLEM, BUT HIS FAMILY DIDN'T", etc. etc.....I just stood there in line and thought to myself, "Hoo boy, here we go!".

oh lord. i knew the tabloids wouldnt be able to stay away from John. Stupid f*cks.

Originally posted by pilotguy
I agree with you...and brace yourself, gang, things are going to get worse....

I was in the supermarket checkout line today and saw the tabloid papers with cover headlines like "JOHN RITTER KEPT ILLNESS A SECRET", "JOHN RITTER: HE DIDN'T HAVE TO DIE!", "JOHN RITTER KNEW OF HEART PROBLEM, BUT HIS FAMILY DIDN'T", etc. etc.....I just stood there in line and thought to myself, "Hoo boy, here we go!". Why am I not Surprised?:rolleyes:

Originally posted by pilotguy
I agree with you...and brace yourself, gang, things are going to get worse....

I was in the supermarket checkout line today and saw the tabloid papers with cover headlines like "JOHN RITTER KEPT ILLNESS A SECRET", "JOHN RITTER: HE DIDN'T HAVE TO DIE!", "JOHN RITTER KNEW OF HEART PROBLEM, BUT HIS FAMILY DIDN'T", etc. etc.....I just stood there in line and thought to myself, "Hoo boy, here we go!".
I saw one of those tabloid magazines while getting the John Ritter people magazine, that's sick they make up lies over somebody dying. :rolleyes:

Originally posted by Kristina
I saw one of those tabloid magazines while getting the John Ritter people magazine, that's sick they make up lies over somebody dying. :rolleyes:


the tabloids arent doing anything different then many other people on this thread. making assumtions and just making statements they have no proof of.

i think he took care of himself and i though he look alot more slim in recent years then a few years ago when he hosted some magic specials, but even if he didn't, does it matter?

Originally posted by pavanbadal
No, John always went to the gym everyday (even the day he died). So what if he put on some weight in the past few years, people during middle age tend to do that, though he did lose a lot of weight recently.

He wasn't obese, if he was, then that would be the problem. There are some actors out there who are older and much fatter than John (*cough* Sally Struthers), so I don't think this has anything to do with this.

You are Right, Pavanbadal. I don't think John Ritter was obese at all. However, stress can very well be a contributing factor to an aorta rupture. This may very well be the case with Mr. Ritter. Although it is a rare condition for a cause of a heart attack, it is not a surprising one. Unfortunately.

Just making a comment about the tabloid that printed about John keeping his illness a secret ... I dont think anyone would keep something like that a secret knowing that it has the chance to be fatal, but most of the time people like that (the editors and heads of the tabloids) are just in it for the bucks and not having any respect for anyone elses feelings