Raquel Welch Secretly Battled Alzheimer's And Died Due To Cardiac Arrest

Raquel Welch, renowned for her outstanding performance in "Fantastic Voyage" and "One Million Years B.C" passed away at 82. The late actress's death certificate has now revealed her cause of death as cardiac arrest. The result also showed she had Alzheimer's at the time of her death.

In 2017, Welch revealed that the performance that shot her fame almost cost her life as she developed severe tonsillitis filming in harsh weather conditions while donning only a skimpy bikini. The Hollywood icon is survived by her two kids, son Damon and daughter Tahnee.

Keep on reading to learn more.

Talented actress, and model, Raquel Welch passed away in February at the age of 82. According to her death certificate obtained by TMZ, she went into cardiac arrest and was battling Alzheimer's at the time of her passing. The certificate also revealed that Welch was pronounced dead at 2:25 a.m. on February 15 and has since been cremated.

Despite being a two-time Golden Globe nominee, Welch had kept her Alzheimer's diagnosis secret and had never disclosed the details to the public. Her death shocked many of her fans and admirers, who were unaware of her battle with the debilitating disease. Welch was considered a sex symbol during her career and left a lasting impression on the entertainment industry.

Welch rose to international fame in the 1960s with her notable performances in blockbuster movies like "Fantastic Voyage" and "One Million Years B.C." In the latter, she gained sex symbol status for her scantily clad look in a deerskin bikini.

However, In a 2017 interview with Fox News, the "Legally Blonde" actress revealed that she "almost died" wearing the skimpy outfit. Welch shared that she developed severe tonsillitis due to the harsh weather conditions on set, which required immediate treatment and lots of penicillin antidote injections.

"I had already so much penicillin when wearing the fur bikini that I almost died," she said. "I had to rush, turn my car around and head back to the doctor's office, run upstairs, jump in the elevator, and all that. And I barely got there. They had to shoot me with an antidote. Otherwise, I would have died. It was a rough shoot, man. Rough," she added, per Page Six.

Despite the health scare, her outstanding performance earned her global recognition. In London, her name became synonymous with glamor and stardom, and she continued to captivate audiences with her charm and talent cementing her legacy as a Hollywood icon.

Several notable achievements marked Welch's illustrious career in Hollywood. She earned critical acclaim for her performance in the 1974 film "The Three Musketeers," She won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical.

In addition to her talent, the actress's undeniable beauty and alluring appeal also helped her attain sex symbol status. In 1995, Empire magazine included her in their prestigious list of "100 Sexiest Stars in Film History." Similarly, Playboy magazine ranked her 3rd in their "100 Sexiest Stars of the 20th Century" list, cementing her status as a timeless icon of sensuality.

Welch demonstrated remarkable talent and dedication to her craft throughout her career, leaving a lasting impression on the film industry and her fans. Her contributions to cinema will always be remembered and celebrated.

While being an industry icon, the late actress had a tumultuous romantic history, having been married four times.

Welch's first marriage was to James Welch, her high school sweetheart with whom she had two children. They were married from 1959 to 1964. She then married Patrick Curtis in 1967 before their split five years later. After that, she tied the knot with André Weinfeld in 1980, but the union only lasted a decade.

Her last marriage was to Richard Palmer in 1999, but unfortunately, their relationship also didn't last, and they separated in 2004. Despite her complicated love life, Welch left behind a loving family and is survived by her kids, Damon, 63, and Tahnee, 61.