Tanya Roberts' Cause Of Death Has Been Revealed

Originally, there was some confusion about the death of Tanya Roberts, with one source initially announcing her passing, and then another contradicting that claim. But, now, we finally have some clarity on the sad situation: The actress did pass away on the evening of Jan. 4, 2021, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, despite a false earlier report that she had passed that morning, according to People.

Best known for her roles in the 1985 James Bond film A View to a Kill and the sitcom That '70s Show, which ran from 1998 to 2006, Roberts had other interests besides acting. She was passionate about animal rights and, for her funeral, her representative Mike Pingel said that donations to the ASPCA in Roberts' name would be preferable (via People). "An online memorial for Tanya Roberts will be announced shortly," he said. "The family ask for privacy as they mourn her death."

To find out what caused the seemingly healthy woman to pass away within a mere 10-day span, keep scrolling.

While news reports vary, someone close to Tanya Roberts announced how she died

Reportedly, Tanya Roberts, a resident of Laurel Canyon, Calif., was walking her dogs on Dec. 24, 2020, when she suddenly collapsed, according to ET Online. The actress and former Bond girl (pictured above right with co-stars from A View to a Kill) was rushed to the hospital, where she was put on a ventilator, per TMZ.

However, Yahoo! has another account of the events leading up to her hospitalization. The outlet reported that Roberts "first fell ill with intestinal issues and trouble breathing on Dec. 23 after going for a hike... At 4 a.m. the next day, she fell out of her bed, couldn't get up, and was taken to the hospital." Regardless, despite medical treatment, she passed away on Jan. 4, 2021.

Now, we know the cause of death, thanks to her representative Mike Pingel's statement to People: "a urinary tract infection which spread to her kidney, gallbladder, liver and then blood stream." According to the Mayo Clinic, women are more likely to develop UTIs than men, but most are mild and can be easily treated. "However, serious consequences can occur if a UTI spreads to your kidneys," the website states.

We're sending thoughts and prayers to Roberts' family, friends, and partner, Lance O'Brien.

How Lance O'Brien found out about Tanya Roberts' death

Lance O'Brien has been through the ringer in more ways than one following his long-time partner Tanya Roberts' death being prematurely announced.

As reported by NBC News, O'Brien was first horrified to find Roberts unresponsive following a seemingly innocent walk with her dogs on Christmas eve morning. He immediately called 911 and Roberts was whisked away to the hospital. At the time, O'Brien acknowledges that he didn't believe the situation to be too dire and he was certain that he would see her again soon. "I didn't think this would be the last time I was going to be seeing her," he said Tuesday. "I didn't think it was that serious."

It wasn't until later that he realized that Roberts' condition was much more grave. O'Brien recounted that he received a phone call from Roberts' physicians asking him to come to the hospital regarding an "end of life situation." During the visit he recalled that he witnessed Roberts' eyes roll back into her head before "passing out." It was then that O'Brien assumed Roberts had passed away, though he never confirmed that with any hospital staff, citing that he was unable to find anyone to do so.

It was only one day later in the midst of a virtual interview with Inside Edition and discussing Roberts' presumed death that he learned she was still very much alive via a phone call from Cedars-Sinai Hospital. "Now you're telling me that she's alive? Thank the Lord. Thank God," the camera caught O'Brien exclaiming.

Many celebrities are left reeling after news of Roberts' death

News of Tanya Roberts' death has traveled like wildfire and left many celebrities reeling. Some even took to social media to voice their condolences.

As reported by Fox News, Roberts' former colleague and fellow actor, Robert Davi, conveyed his thoughts on Twitter: "Saddened to hear of Tanya Roberts passing – she was full of life, enthusiasm, unfiltered, sense of humour , intelligence and a beauty – Prayers for Family – may she RIP."

That '70s Show star Topher Grace also took to Twitter to pay homage to his former co-star. "I was so sad to hear that Tanya Roberts has passed away. She was a Bond girl, one of Charlie's Angels, and truly a delightful person to work with. I had never acted before and, to be honest, a little nervous around her. But she couldn't have been kinder. We'll miss you Midge," Grace penned in the sentimental tweet.

Actress Chase Masterson also honored Roberts with a few words tweeting that the late actress was "An absolute gem."