Comedian Ralphie May Died in 2017 at the Age of 45 — Here's What Happened to Him

Some of the greatest comedians of the 2000s are no longer with us, but their humor still shapes the way comedians take the stage today.

The late comedian Ralphie May could be considered among those influential greats who left too soon.

Ralphie got his start back in 2003 on Last Comic Standing and quickly became an overnight sensation, with a penchant for crowdwork that was second to none and the ability to be self-deprecating and quick with his bits.

But what happened to Ralphie? Here's what we know about where the charismatic comedian went.

Ralphie was one of those unlikely stars who took the early 2000s by storm. His career rose to prominence when NBC's Last Comic Standing ruled evening television, and stand-up comedians were having a moment in the sun as a result. Comedy Central was booming, and if you could work a crowd, you could become a comedy god.

Enter: Ralphie. Looking like the boy next door, Ralphie had an easy smile and a sharp tongue, nearly always directed at himself with self-deprecating humor.

According to his bio, throughout his career, Ralphie sold out multiple comedic venues, worked as a writer and producer on ESPN's Mohr Sports, appeared multiple times on The Late Late Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. He also appeared on The Man Show and MTV’s Bash, as well as guest-starring on NBC’s Whoopi.

But after 2017, there was no new content from Ralphie. So, what happened?

Tragically, Ralphie was found dead in his residence at Harrah's Casino in Las Vegas on Oct. 6, 2017. He was just 45 years old. His death was sudden, leaving behind his wife and two daughters.

Ralphie's passing sparked a conversation around men's health and heart health as a whole. It was later revealed that Ralphie died from hypertensive cardiovascular disease. Or, as we might better recognize it, the impacts of high blood pressure on the heart.

Per Mayo Clinic, "High blood pressure is a common condition that affects the body's arteries. It's also called hypertension. If you have high blood pressure, the force of the blood pushing against the artery walls is consistently too high. The heart has to work harder to pump blood."

After his death, Time Magazine published an article on his passing, noting, "Over time, high blood pressure can lead to heart or vascular disease in several different ways: It can cause hardening of the arteries or a thickening of the heart muscle itself. It can also cause the heart’s chambers to become dilated, which keeps it from pumping blood and oxygen effectively."

Ralphie was always a larger man, and while people of all weights can live with high blood pressure, for those who are obese, they might find their symptoms improve if they lose weight.

When Ralphie passed, people started a dialogue around the way men's health issues are often brushed aside, highlighting the need for more education around heart health and wellness management.

While Ralphie may never have predicted that his passing would have an impact on the health of his fans, the dialogue surrounding his death may have woken many fans up to focus on their own high blood pressure.