Jimmy Kimmel’s band leader Cleto Escobedo’s cause of death revealed as star pays tribute to ‘inseparable’ childhood pal
CLETO Escobedo III’s cause of death has been revealed just days after Jimmy Kimmel announced the tragic news.
The Jimmy Kimmel Live! house band leader died at the age of 59 on Tuesday.
Now, his death certificate, seen by TMZ, reveals his cause of death was cardiogenic shock – a condition where the heart is unable to pump enough blood around the body.
But it further detailed other underlying health issues that contributed to his death.
It listed Vasodilatory shock (dangerously low blood pressure), disseminated intravascular coagulation (blood clots leading to organ damage) and alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver (advanced liver disease).
Other conditions including sepsis, chronic kidney disease, and pneumonia were also noted as underlying issues.
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Jimmy Kimmel confirmed the news of his death in a heartbreaking post on Instagram.
“Early this morning, we lost a great friend, father, son, musician and man, my longtime bandleader Cleto Escobedo III,” he wrote.
“To say that we are heartbroken is an understatement. Cleto and I have been inseparable since I was nine years old.
“The fact that we got to work together every day is a dream neither of us could ever have imagined would come true.
“Cherish your friends and please keep Cleto’s wife, children and parents in your prayers.”
The pair who grew up together in Las Vegas then worked together on Jimmy Kimmel Live! since its launch in 2003.
Now, the television host is honoring his childhood friend and beloved colleague by launching two fundraisers.
“Cleto was always kind and eager to help others,” he wrote on Instagram on Friday.
“As we mourn his loss, we have started two fundraisers to celebrate his life and give back.”
He shared links to one for the UCLA Medical Center where Cleto received “incredible care” in his final days.
The other is to raise money for The Animal Foundation based in Las Vegas to “honor his love of animals”.
Kimmel canceled his shows on Wednesday and Thursday saying the whole team is “devastated”.
Cleto had been absent from the show for a number of months before his death after he became ill.