TMZ reported that Sidney Poitier’s cause of death was a combination of health complications. His death certificate cites heart failure, Alzheimer’s dementia, and prostate cancer as causes of death, and that he passed away at his Beverly Hills home and will be cremated.
Poitier was diagnosed with prostate cancer at the age of 66 in 1993 (via Page Six). He was able to get surgery that saved his life and put him into remission. However, it seems the cancer returned later in his life and his struggles with Alzheimer’s dementia was not known by the public.
Poitier is survived by his wife, Joanna Shimkus, and his four daughters. Sydney Poitier, one of his daughters, shared a beautiful tribute to her father. She wrote, “We thought we were taking care of him. I see now that the truth is he was still taking care of us,” adding how much he helped her throughout the last few years. “He was reminding us, particularly in these uncertain times, of the power of GOODNESS. That even when the body is fading and things seem to be falling apart around us, the goodness remains,” (via People).
