Former Disney Executive Dave Hollis’ Cause of Death Released

Dave Hollis, a former Disney executive who left the company to become an author and influencer, died from an accidental overdose in February, according to an autopsy completed this month. Hollis was also hospitalized for heart issues before his death. The Get Out of Your Own Way author was 47.

Hollis had dangerous amounts of cocaine, fentanyl, and alcohol in his system at the time of his death, according to the autopsy completed by the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office, reports PEOPLE. He was found unresponsive at his Hays County home and pronounced dead moments later. His death was ruled an accident.

The self-help book author had a history of using drugs and alcohol, the medical examiner said, noting he had high blood pressure and depression. He also had hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, which causes the “narrowing and hardening of vessels that supply blood to the heart.”

The documents also showed Hollis had “moderate to severe atherosclerosis” in his heart. This happens “when the blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients from the heart to the rest of the body (arteries) become thick and stiff,” according to the Mayo Clinic. Hollis also had an “underlying natural disease of the heart that would have predisposed it to [develop] an abnormal rhythm, particularly in the presence of a stimulant drug such as cocaine.”

Hollis was a popular Hollywood executive, overseeing Disney’s theatrical distribution between 2011 and 2018. He shocked the industry in 2018 when he relocated to Texas with his wife, influencer Rachel Hollis. He oversaw Rachel’s company and began writing his own self-help books, including Get Out of Your Own Way andBuilt Through Courage: Face Your Fears to Live the Life You Were Meant For. He also hosted the podcast Rise Together and founded a charity for children in foster care. Rachel’s own books include Girl, Wash Your Face; Girl, Stop Apologizing; and Didn’t See That Coming.

Hollis and Rachel had four children, Jackson, Sawyer, Ford, and Noah. They separated in June 2020 after 16 years of marriage. “We are devastated,” Rachel wrote on Feb. 14 after news of Hollis’ death broke. “I have no words and my heart is too broken to find them. Please wrap the kids up in prayers as we try and navigate the unthinkable.”

Hollis previously wrote about his sobriety journey on his blog. In May 2022, he told fans he was four months sober and was in a much better space at the time. “I’m doing well. Much better. Healthier, content. Good days and bad, just like the rest of you, but in a really good head space. Moving at a wildly slower pace. More focused on intentional time with the people I love most, especially Jackson, Sawyer, Ford, and Noah, who all look like full-grown adults now,” Hollis wrote. “More than anything, I find myself grateful for the way 2022 has unfolded, even if I didn’t love the way it began.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse or addiction, please call the National Drug Helpline at (844) 289-0879.