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Ellen DeGeneres' producer Matthew Wright's cause of death revealed after he suddenly died aged 52
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The cause of death of Matthew Wright, an executive producer for the Ellen DeGeneres Show, has been confirmed.
As previously reported, 52-year-old Wright died suddenly on October 30 while working away from home in Los Angeles.
The producer, who'd worked on The Ellen DeGeneres Show for 16 years until it ended in 2022, was a much-loved member of the production.
Following his passing, the host made a heartfelt tribute, describing Wright as a funny, smart, and kind person who was beloved by everyone they worked with.
After expressing her condolences to his husband, Justin, and the rest of his family, the star said: "He is and always will be the glue to our entire family at the Ellen show."
Wright's cause of death has been determined to be from cardiopulmonary arrest, with hypertension listed as the underlying cause, according to a death certificate obtained by People, with obstructive sleep apnea and Class II obesity listed as contributing conditions.
Wright's death was described as an "unfathomable tragedy" in a GoFundMe set up in the wake of his death, which added: "His husband, father, sister, and niece are in New York, desperate to be reunited for a proper goodbye.
"We’re asking for all of his friends, who Matt loved so fully, to help the family at this time.
"As many of you know, Matt & Justin were both laid off this summer. And the unexpected costs of getting Matt home, a funeral and a memorial are impossible for the family to bear."
The fundraiser appealed to anyone who "Matt has ever made you laugh, said an encouraging word right when you needed it, or ordered one too many appetizers for the enjoyment of the whole table” to donate, adding: "And when you’re at dinner and see a sunset, know that Matt is looking down, loving you, but wildly disappointed in what you ordered."
DeGeneres donated $5,000 to the fund, saying in a tearful video message on Instagram: "He was an amazing guy. He was funny. God, he made me laugh.
"He would surprise me with things that he did all the time. He was smart. He was kind. He was the part of our show that — I mean, everyone loved him.
"I loved him. And it’s just shocking — it’s shocking."
Andy Lassner, who worked with Wright on The Ellen Show, revealed that he'd seen Wright "hours" before his death.
Lassner added: "We are all in shock. He was a brilliant producer and an even better human being. My heart breaks for his husband, Justin, his family, and all of us who loved him.
"I was so lucky to work beside Matt for so many years and to call him my friend. We should have had so much more time with him."