Bruce Lee's Death: Details of His Sudden Passing 50 Years Ago

In July 1973, Bruce Lee was working on a number of new projects, most notably the movie Game of Death. He’d been married to Linda Emery Lee for nine years, and they had two children together: 8-year-old Brandon and 4-year-old Shannon.

But on July 20, 1973, Lee went to take a nap after complaining of a headache and never woke up. An ambulance was called after he was found unconscious, but Lee was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital. Lee's sudden death at 32 years old was due to cerebral edema, or swelling of the brain — though several theories have emerged over the years regarding the edema's cause. In the '70s, experts claimed the brain swelling was caused by a hypersensitivity to prescribed medication, while more recent studies suggest the edema could have been due to heat stroke or from drinking an excessive amount of water.

His funeral was held in Hong Kong, where he died, though he’s buried in Seattle alongside his son, who died two decades later.

On the 50th anniversary of Lee's death, Shannon wrote a tribute addressed to her late father and brother in PEOPLE. "You both lived so vibrantly, so boldly, so viscerally, so truly, and it is that life that you embodied and shared so beautifully that has given me the courage and the desire to not just live but grow and blossom through the loss of you," she wrote. "Your energy is eternal, and it still communicates. It still hits. It still loves. And I love you—your big laughter, your big smiles."

Here’s a look at what happened when Bruce Lee died and the legacy he left behind.

How did Bruce Lee die?

After complaining of a headache on July 20, 1973, Lee took the painkiller Equagesic and went to take a nap, according to the 2018 biography Bruce Lee: A Life by Matthew A. Polly. He was later found unconscious and brought to the hospital via an ambulance, where he was pronounced dead.

Neurosurgeon Dr. Peter Wu inferred Lee's death was caused by cerebral edema, or swelling of the brain. However, there have been multiple theories as to what caused Lee's cerebral edema over the years. At the time of Lee's death, a coroner later concluded that the cerebral edema was due to a reaction from the painkiller Equagesic, even though Lee had reportedly taken the pill before.

Others had suggested that the cannabis found in Lee’s system could have contributed to his death, but forensic scientist Donald Teare, who was assigned to Lee’s case, denied this.

In 2018, Polly proposed in his biography that the cerebral edema could have been caused by over-exertion and heat stroke, particularly as Lee had his underarm sweat glands removed in 1972.

However, a 2022 study proposed that Lee died from drinking too much water. Kidney specialists in Spain conducted research published in the Clinical Kidney Journal suggesting that the swelling of his brain may have been caused by his kidney’s “inability to excrete excess water."

Lee, who had been experiencing headaches and seizures, collapsed while working on his film Enter the Dragon two months before his death in 1973. He was rushed to the hospital, where doctors diagnosed cerebral edema, and was discharged several days later.

When did Bruce Lee die?

Lee died on July 20, 1973. According to Polly, the news of Lee’s death broke around 11:30 p.m., when Hong Kong’s police commissioner Charles Sutcliffe was notified.

Suttcliffe was hosting a party with many prominent members of the Hong Kong media present, and they all made their way to Queen Elizabeth Hospital after hearing the news.

Where did Bruce Lee die?

Lee died at the home of Taiwanese actress Betty Ting Pei in Kowloon, Hong Kong. On the day of his death, Lee and producer Richard Chow drove to Pei's home, where he took an Equagesic and laid down for a nap.

How old was Bruce Lee when he died?

Lee was 32 years old when he died. More than 30 years after his death, an 8.2-ft. statue of Lee was unveiled in Hong Kong on Nov. 27, 2005, what would have been his 65th birthday.

How did the public react to Bruce Lee’s death?

The martial artist's death sparked a major public reaction around the world. His funeral was held in Hong Kong, and he was later buried in Seattle.

What legacy did Bruce Lee leave behind?

Lee is still considered a cultural icon, and the most influential martial artist of all time. In 1999, TIME named him one of the most influential figures of the 20th century.

He founded the martial arts discipline of Jeet Kune Do, which incorporates numerous different forms of martial arts. Jeet Kune Do is also considered a predecessor to mixed martial arts, which is featured in the UFC.

Lee’s son Brandon followed in his footsteps as a martial artist and actor, but he died at the age of 28 on the set of the movie The Crow after being wounded by a prop gun. His daughter Shannon also became a martial artist and an actress and is president of the Bruce Lee Foundation. Since her brother’s death, she’s been a proponent of mandatory gun safety training on film sets.

Shannon has also been protective of her father's image and legacy. In 2021, she criticized Once Upon a Time in Hollywood director Quentin Tarantino for the movie’s portrayal of her father “as a dispensable stereotype."

In 2019, she told PEOPLE that she still has vivid memories of her father and feels a close connection to him. She serves as one of the executive producers of the Cinemax martial arts crime drama Warrior, which is based on her father’s writings.

“When he focused his attention on you, it was like having the sun shine on you,” she shared. “That feeling has stayed with me my whole life.”