Autopsy Reveals ‘Friday’ Star Tommy ‘Tiny’ Lister Died of Heart Disease

An autopsy performed on Tommy “Tiny” Lister has revealed the actor’s cause of death.

Source: Tibrina Hobson / Getty

According to reports from TMZ, the autopsy found that the actor, best known for his role as Deebo in the Friday franchise, died of hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner said that Lister also tested positive for COVID-19, but in the end, concluded that heart disease was the ultimate cause of death.

Back in December, Lister’s manager Cindy Cowan said that he tested positive for the coronavirus four months prior to his death. Cowan recalls him struggling to breathe and feeling lethargic. Despite going through many of the common symptoms of the virus, Lister was never hospitalized, instead opting to stay home and quarantine.

Just a week before the actor’s sudden passing, Cowan said he was expected to come by her home, but decided to stay away because he was fearful that he had contracted the virus again. Cowan said Lister was excited about the possibility of getting the vaccine, and returning to some semblance of normalcy, which included spending time with his daughter Faith.

When they hadn’t heard from him days prior to his death, the people closest to Lister grew concerned about his health. Lister’s declining health led to him canceling his first day of filming a new movie starring Sam Worthington, along with a Zoom appearance for a panel at a TV festival.

When a wellness check was performed, Tiny was found unconscious in his Los Angeles apartment. He was declared dead at the scene.  The autopsy eventually revealed Lister had an enlarged heart with high blood pressure, poor circulation in his legs, and coronary artery disease.