Cause of death released FILE PHOTO: Ace Frehley performs at The Children Matter Benefit Concert Featuring Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley, Don Felder and Cheap Trick on September 2, 2017, at CHS Field Stadium in St Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images for The Children Matter) (Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
By Cox Media Group National Content Desk
Officials have determined what led to Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley’s death.
He had blunt trauma to the head from a fall, the Morris County, New Jersey Medical Examiner said.
He had a skull fracture, a subdural hematoma and a stroke. His death has been ruled an accident, TMZ reported.
Frehley had undergone surgery to remove the collection of blood between the brain’s outer layer and the brain itself, but it did not help.
Frehley shared with fans the news of the fall in an Instagram post on Sept. 25. He said it was “minor,” but that he would have to cancel a performance.
On Oct. 6, the rest of his tour was canceled “due to ongoing medical issues,” People magazine reported.
His family decided to take him off life support. He died on Oct. 16.
“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,” they said in a statement to People when he died.
“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!” they continued.
He was 74 and left behind his wife and daughter, People magazine reported.
Ace Frehley 1974: Guitarist Ace Frehley of the rock band Kiss performs at the Long Beach Auditorium on May 31, 1974 in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Michael Montfort/Michael Ochs archives/Getty Images) (Michael Ochs Archives)
Ace Frehley 1974: Guitarist Ace Frehley of the rock and roll band Kiss performs onstage at the Civic Auditorium on May 31, 1974 in Long Beach, California. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) (Michael Ochs Archives)
Ace Frehley 1974: Guitarist Ace Frehley of Kiss prepares to perform at Alex Cooley's Electric Ballroom on July 18, 1974 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Tom Hill/WireImage) (Tom Hill/WireImage)
Ace Frehley 1976: Guitarist Ace Frehley performing with American rock group Kiss, Cleveland, Ohio, 1976. (Photo by Fin Costello/Redferns/Getty Images) (Fin Costello/Redferns)
Ace Frehley 1978: Guitarist Ace Frehley performs with Kiss at the Providence Civic Center in Providence, RI on Feb. 2, 1978. (Photo by Janet Knott/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) (Boston Globe/Boston Globe via Getty Images)
Ace Frehley 1979: Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley and Ace Frehley of the rock and roll band 'Kiss' pose for a portrait session backstage on July 24, 1979 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Richard Creamer/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) (Michael Ochs Archives)
Ace Frehley 1980 Ace Frehley, guitarist for the rock group KISS, is shown in stage makeup and costume. Undated. (Photo by Lynn Goldsmith/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images) (Lynn Goldsmith/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images)
Ace Frehley 1987: Ace Frehley of Frehley's Comet, studio portrait in New York City on January 16, 1987. (Photo by Ebet Roberts/Redferns) (Ebet Roberts/Redferns)
Ace Frehley 1990: Photo of Ace FREHLEY (Photo by Robert Knight Archive/Redferns) (Robert Knight Archive/Redferns)
Ace Frehley 2002: Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley plays during the Lane Bryant Lingerie Fashion Show February 5, 2002 in New York City. (Photo by George De Sota/Getty Image) (George De Sota/Getty Images)
Ace Frehley 2006: Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley participates in the VH1 Classic Rock 'n' Roll Celebrity Poker Tournament at the Flamingo Las Vegas November 2, 2006 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Ace Frehley 2014: Inductee Ace Frehley of KISS attends the 29th Annual Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony at Barclays Center of Brooklyn on April 10, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images) (Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)
Ace Frehley 2014: Inductee Ace Frehley of KISS speaks onstage at the 29th Annual Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony at Barclays Center of Brooklyn on April 10, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images) (Larry Busacca/Getty Images)
Ace Frehley 2014: Ace Frehley sits in with The Roots during a taping of The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon at Rockefeller Center on August 12, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/NBC/Getty Images for "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon") (Theo Wargo/NBC)
Ace Frehley 2014: Ace Frehley, holding a 12-string Gibson Les Paul Standard guitar, attends the Ace Frehley listening party for the upcoming new album "Space Invader" at Gibson Guitar Studios on August 13, 2014, in New York City. (Photo by Michael N. Todaro/Getty Images for Ace Frehley) (Michael N. Todaro)
Ace Frehley 2016: Recording artist Ace Frehley (L) and guitarist Richie Scarlet perform at Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas at The LINQ Promenade on March 6, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Ace Frehley 2017: Ace Frehley preforms at The Children Matter Benefit Concert Featuring Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley, Don Felder And Cheap Trick on September 2, 2017 at CHS Field Stadium in St Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images for The Children Matter) (Hannah Foslien)