Paul Daniel “Ace” Frehley, the lead guitarist and co-founder of the rock group KISS, died on October 16, 2025, his family confirmed. Frehley was 74. With no known health issues in recent years, fans of the “Rock and Roll All Nite” artist are wondering what his cause of death was. Now, nearly one month later, it has been revealed.
Hours after TMZ reported that Freshley was on life support, his family announced that he died in a public statement. It read, “We are completely devastated and heartbroken. In his last moments, we were fortunate enough to have been able to surround him with loving, caring, peaceful words, thoughts, prayers and intentions as he left this earth. We cherish all of his finest memories, his laughter, and celebrate his strengths and kindness that he bestowed upon others. The magnitude of his passing is of epic proportions, and beyond comprehension. Reflecting on all of his incredible life achievements, Ace’s memory will continue to live on forever!”
Below, learn what happened to Frehley and what we know about his untimely death.
Did Ace Frehley Have Any Health Issues?
Frehley never publicly announced any major health issues. However, he reportedly sustained a brain bleed after falling at home.
Per TMZ, he was on life support in his final days at the hospital.
Ace Frehley’s Cause of Death
Frehley’s cause of death was ruled as blunt trauma injuries to the head due to a fall, the Morris County Medical Examiner confirmed, according to People and TMZ.
Frehley died after falling at home. TMZ reported that he had been placed on life support for “some time,” and his family had contemplated taking him off life support.
Less than one month prior, Frehley suffered from a separate fall.
What Happened to Ace Frehley? How He Died
Frehley fell in September 2025, a statement shared to his Instagram account revealed. At the time, the fall was “minor,” according to the post’s original caption, which also noted that he was “fine, but against his wishes, his doctor insists that he refrain from travel at this time.”
On October 6, a separate statement was released on his Instagram page, which read, “Due to some ongoing medical issues, Ace has made the difficult decision to cancel the remainder of his 2025 dates.”
Frehley died about 10 days after that. He had suffered from a second fall at home.