Catherine O'Hara's Cause Of Death REVEALED - What Did Hospital Certificate Claim?

Catherine

O'Hara, who played the beloved mother in Home Alone, along with projects like Schitt's Creek, died at the age of 71 at her Los Angeles home on January 30, 2026. While the veteran actress' demise left the Hollywood fraternity and fans shocked and mourning, her actual cause of death was never came to be known. Her demise was confirmed by her manager, it gave was to specul;ations too. While many cited age related issues, others guessed it was due to some kind of illness. Catherine is survived by her husband Bo Welch and their two sons, Matthew and Luke. And after almost 15 days of death, we now know the real reason behind her sudden demise, and it's as heart breaking as anything else.

Catherine O'Hara's cause of death

On February 10, TMZ revealed that Catherine suffered a pulmonary embolism, with rectal cancer. This was the underlying condition she was suffered with that led to her passing away. Infact the publication claimed of obtaining her death certificate on Monday and getting to now the reason.According to Page Six, paramedics were called to her LA home at around 4.48 AM early on January 30, and Catherine was rushed to a hospital with an illness. Her agency CAA said that she died after dealing with a "brief illness." However, the statement was incomplete and did not fully explained the legendary actress' health condition.

What is pulmonary embolism?

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a life-threatening condition where one or more arteries in the lungs become blocked by a blood clot. Most pulmonary embolisms start as a blockage in the deep veins of the legs or pelvis. That clot can break loose, travel through the bloodstream, and get stuck in the lungs.

Soon after the heartbreaking news surfaced, her onscreen son, Macaulay Culkin, who played Kevin McCallister in two Home Alone films, posted an emotional and heartbreaking tribute for his "mom." Several other celebs continued to remember Catherine through social media tributes.

Catherine O'Hara's career

Catherine would be remembered for her notable body of work that spanned more than five decades. Her notable projects include Second City Television, After Hours, Heartburn, Beetlejuice, Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, Six Feet Under, A Series of Unfortunate Events and more. While Schitt's Creek got her the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress, Catherine remained professionally active in both film and television till the every end.Catherine's final projects include Apple TV+ series The Studio, John Candy: I Like Me (2025), a documentary celebrating her longtime friend and SCTV collaborator John Candy, and a notable guest appearance as a therapist named Gail on HBO's hit drama The Last of Us Second 2.