what did john ritter die from
John would always say hi to me' and I was like, 'Of course he did'. She said she hopes it also will bring awareness to aortic diseases. That passage of time, however, hasnt slowed the passion or commitment his widow, actress Amy Yasbeck, has for trying to raise awareness for the silent and mostly unknown disease that killed her husband. An aortic dissection refers to "an abnormal separation of tissues within the walls of the aorta, the large blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body," writes WebMD. During the trial in March of 2008, the jury cleared both doctors of negligence, and Amy and John's family lost by 3 to 9 vote. Ritter's youngest child, Stella, turned 5 the day he died. His TV movie appearances included "Unnatural Causes," Stephen King's "It" and "Chance of a Lifetime. Everybody loved working with him. There wasnt anything I didnt like about him, Yasbeck told PEOPLE last year. The prosecution alleged that any issues should've been identified at that time, though the opposition claimed it was too early to tell. Ritter died froman undetected flaw in his heart called an aortic dissection in 2003. The women spoke tearfully of their sudden loss and the need for people to understand the disease as well as the importance of knowing your family history and the most effective medical exams to diagnose the disease. "Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife and children at this very difficult time. Three new episodes had already been filmed, and Ritter was working on the fourth when he fell ill. "All of us at ABC, Touchstone Television and The Walt Disney Co. are shocked and heartbroken at the terrible news of John's passing," a statement read. Ritter died from an undetected flaw in his heart called an aortic dissection in 2003. The foundation urges people with potential genetic risks to get tested for aortic disease. The next day, his widow, actress Amy Yasbeck, told the girl that her dads death was unavoidable. It may seem like a dated concept now, but it was a scandalous premise at the time. Yasbeck testified about the last hours of her husbands life during a wrongful death lawsuit alleging two doctors were negligent in his care. He was just . Ritter died at 10:48 p.m. on September 11 at the age of 54. The couple married in 1941 and had their first child, Tom Ritter, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. The Cast of 'Beetlejuice': Where Are They Now? Its shaped like a candy cane and is about the width of a garden hose. The doctors told it to me like I was 5 and I told it to her like she was 5, Yasbeck said in an interview with The Times. And in Ritter's case, his aortic dissection wasn't discovered until he was undergoing a cardiac catheterization, per the Los Angeles Times. On September 11th, 2003, John Ritter passed away as surgeons worked to repair his dissection. Yasbeck spoke last week to Healthline employees about thoracic aortic disease and what the John Ritter Foundation is doing to raise money for research as well as educate people about the potentially deadly ailment. Doctors could then have addressed it with the correct surgery. Ritter died at the age of 54 on September 11, 2003 from an undiagnosed aortic dissection. She was joined at the Healthline offices by Deanna Korondi, whose husband of 28 years died last year of an aortic dissection. He used this company to produce and star in the comedy-drama Hooperman in 1987. Pick up the Sept. 29 issue of PEOPLE for more on John Ritters life. Everybody loved John Ritter. Some of his other notable roles include Ben HanscominIt(1990),Problem Child(1990),Problem Child 2(1991), andBad Santain 2003.