Raquel Welch’s Cause of Death and Secret Health Battle: What to Know

Raquel Welch secretly battled Alzheimer’s Disease, according to her death certificate. The beloved star of One Million Years B.C. and Fantastic Voyage suffered a cardiac arrest and died on Feb. 15, 2023. Her family initially kept her Alzheimer’s diagnosis  a secret, as they said she died after a “brief illness.” She was 82.

The death certificate listed Alzheimer’s disease as one of the underlying causes of her death, according to thedocument obtained by TMZ on Tuesday. Welch never publicly disclosed her Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis. The document also notes that Welch suffered a heart attack at her home in Los Angeles. She died at 2:25 a.m. on Feb. 15 and was cremated.

Welch, born Jo Raquel Tejada in Chicago, was one of the great Hollywood sex symbols of the 1960s, thanks to the hit movies One Million Years B.C. and Fantastic Voyage. The photo of her wearing a “prehistoric” bikini for One Million B.C. made her an instant pin-up girl. She also starred in Bandolero!, Bedazzled, Lady in Cement, The Magic Christian and Myra Breckinridge. She won a Golden Globe for Richard Lester’s comedic adaptation of The Three Musketeers and starred in its sequel, The Four Musketeers.

Welch’s other credits include The Wild Party, The Prince and the Pauper, Naked Gun 33 & 1/3: The Final Insult, Legally Blonde, and How to Be a Latin Lover. She also appeared in episodes of Sabrina the Teenage Witch,Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Seinfeld, Spin City, 8 Simple Rules and CSI: Miami. She earned a Golden Globe nomination for the 1987 TV film Right to Die. She made her last appearance on television in the UP TV series Date My Dad in 2017. Welch received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1994.

Welch never wanted to retire, as long as she could still work, she told The Sunday Post in 2018. “As long as I still look like Raquel Welch, I’m happy,” she said. “I am very selective about what work I accept but I am nowhere near calling an end to it all. As long as people are still interested in me, then I’ll carry on working. What else would I do? I have been busy my whole life and I can’t stop now.”

Welch was married and divorced four times. She is survived by her children, Damon Welch and actress Tahnee Welch.