Yeah, a lot people were startled when the news broke.
Same here, same age to boot.
Death
While visiting Rome on June 19, 2013, Gandolfini died suddenly at the age of 51.[98] He had been planning to travel to Sicily a few days later to receive an award at the Taormina Film Fest.[99] After he had spent the day sightseeing with his family in the sweltering heat, his 14-year-old son Michael discovered him unconscious at around 10 p.m. on the floor of his hotel room's bathroom at the Boscolo Exedra Hotel.[100] Michael called reception, who in turn called paramedics, and Gandolfini arrived at the hospital at 10:40 p.m.[101] He was pronounced dead 20 minutes later.[102] An autopsy confirmed that he died of a heart attack.[103]
While word of Gandolfini's death spread, state and national politicians paid tribute to him online.[104][105][106] New Jersey Governor Chris Christie ordered all state buildings to fly their flags at half-staff on June 24 to honor Gandolfini when his body was returned to the U.S.[107] The day after Gandolfini's death, Bruce Springsteen and his E Street Band (whose long-time guitarist Steven Van Zandt portrayed Sopranos character Silvio Dante) dedicated a performance of the entire Born to Run album to Gandolfini during a concert in Coventry on the UK leg of his tour.[108]
Gandolfini's body was returned to the U.S. on June 23.[109] The marquee lights of Broadway theaters were dimmed on the night of June 26 in his honor.[110] His funeral service was held at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City's Morningside Heights neighborhood on June 27.[111][112] Those who attended the service included many of his co-stars from The Sopranos including Edie Falco, Michael Imperioli, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Lorraine Bracco, Tony Sirico and Julianna Margulies as well as Chris Christie, Alec Baldwin, and John Turturro.[113][114]
AI
