Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
The tragic battle to save Burt
Dramatic emergency call revealed
A RECORDING of a 911 call has revealed the fight to save Burt Reynolds as he suffered his fatal heart attack.
The iconic actor fell ill at home in Martin County, Florida, on Thursday morning and died at Jupiter Medical Center.
In the emergency call audio, a man is heard asking for an ambulance as the 82-year-old struggles for breath. The unidentified caller says: “He is having difficulty breathing and chest pains.”
Asked if the star was awake, he replies: “Semi… he’s breathing but not answering questions.”
The dispatcher then asks if Reynolds is breathing normally and the man says: “No.”
The 911 handler goes through a series of questions, including if Reynolds was having cold sweats – to which the caller said yes. The dispatcher also asked if the Hollywood star had ever had a heart attack and was told: “He had a bypass a few years ago.”
The operator then reassures the caller paramedics are coming.
Reynolds was best known for 1972’s Deliverance, 1977’s Smokey and the Bandit, 1981’s Cannonball Run and 1997’s Boogie Nights.
He had been filming Quentin Tarantino’s new movie Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, due out next year, with Brad Pitt and Leonardo Dicaprio.
It yesterday emerged Reynolds was allowed to live his final years in his £3.85million home thanks to the kindness of his landlord.
The star sold up to neighbour Charles Modica in 2015 after years of financial struggle. Mr Modica let him stay rent-free, saying it would have been too traumatic for him if he was forced to move.