UPDATE: Gandolfini's Remains Back In U.S.
On Friday, an autopsy performed on the body of Sopranos star James Gandolfini confirmed that the 51-year-old actor died after suffering a heart attack Wednesday while vacationing in Italy. Now, the family has issued a new statement that Gandolfini's remains will be returning to the United States early this week.
UPDATE: HBO confirms to ET that Gandolfini's remains have been returned to the U.S. from Rome.
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As for the funeral of Gandolfini, a family spokesperson tells ET: "We can confirm, on behalf of the Gandolfini Family, that the funeral service for James Gandolfini will be held Thursday, June 27th. The service will be held at 10:00 a.m. at the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine in Manhattan."
The coroner's office in Rome told reporters on Friday, June 21, that Gandolfini's death was due to cardiac arrest, as originally suspected.
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Gandolfini family spokesman Michael Kobold read a statement to the press on Friday in Rome that confirmed the cause of death and also provided details about the star's last moments in Italy.
James came here on a vacation with his family... he had a wonderful day.
He visited The Vatican and had dinner at the hotel with his son
awaiting the arrival of his sister. Today we received the results of the
autopsy, which stated he died of a heart attack, of natural causes. The
autopsy further states that nothing else was found in his system.
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"We are all devastated by this loss. James was a devoted husband, a loving father of two children, a brother and cousin you could always count on. We thank you for the privacy you have afforded us during this difficult time."
The actor best known for portraying Tony Soprano on the hit HBO series The Sopranos was rushed to the hospital on Wednesday after his 13-year-old son Michael reportedly found his father collapsed in the bathroom of their hotel room in Italy.
Hospital emergency room personnel reported that doctors tried to resuscitate Gandolfini for 40 minutes before he was pronounced dead. The star was vacationing in Italy and was also scheduled to attend Sicily's Taormina Film Festival on Saturday.