Family Doc: Isaac Hayes Had a Stroke

Hayes' personal physician says 65-year-old singer died Sunday after suffering a stroke; no autopsy is scheduled

By Natalie Finn Aug 12, 2008 11:15 PMTags
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Isaac Hayes' contribution to soul, rock and South Park may live forever, but in the end, the man himself was a mere mortal.

Hayes died Sunday at the age of 65. And according to paperwork filed by his family doctor, David Kraus, he was felled by a stroke brought on by chronic hypertension, according to a statement released Tuesday by Shelby County Sheriff's spokesman Steve Schular.

No autopsy is scheduled, so this is being treated as the official cause of death and a death certificate should be on file at the Memphis and Shelby County Health Department within the next few days.

"The Hayes family is comfortable with Dr. Kraus' recommendation to not conduct an autopsy," Schular said.

A family member discovered Hayes unconscious next to a running treadmill in their Memphis home early Sunday morning.

The pioneering Black Moses artist, who was hospitalized in 2006 for what his reps characterized as exhaustion, was lately being treated for illnesses associated with high blood pressure, according to Kraus' report.

Also on Tuesday, Hayes' family announced that a public memorial service will be held Aug. 18 at 11 a.m. ET at Hope Presbyterian Church in Cordova, Tenn.

"We are overwhelmed with the outpouring of support and love from Isaac's dear friends, colleagues and fans from every corner of the world, and we thank each and every one of them for their kind thoughts and prayer," the family said in a statement.

"While he was an iconic figure to many, to us he was husband, father and friend. We will ever miss his love, wisdom, humor and the familiar comfort of his voice."

(Originally published Aug. 12, 2008 at 2:58 p.m.)