Chris Pratt’s stunt double, who died unexpectedly in May, reportedly passed away from a heart issue worsened by heavy drinking.
Stuntman Tony McFarr was found dead at his home outside of Orlando, Florida, on May 17. At the time, his family said they did not know what could have happened.
Pratt, partnering with McFarr in films like Guardians of the Galaxy and Jurassic World, even paid tribute to the 47-year-old, calling his death ‘shocking’ and ‘unexpected’, as he had always appeared healthy.
Florida’s Orange County Medical Examiner has now reportedly ruled McFarr’s death was the result of an irregular heartbeat and an issue with his heart valves – as well as his drinking.
The examiner determined that acute alcohol poisoning and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease played a part in his death, and noted how how his autopsy indicated a history of binge drinking alcohol, TMZ reported.
Tony McFarr partnered with Pratt on films like Guardians of the Galaxy and Jurassic World (pictured). His cause of death has now been officially ruled an accident that likely stemmed from his drinking
McFarr, only 47 when he died, had more than 20 years experience in the entertainment industry. His death came to a shock to those who knew him considering he appeared healthy
Overall, the medical examiner classified the stunt double’s death as an accident. He had more than 20 years’ experience in the industry.
‘Devastated to hear about the loss of my friend and former stunt double,’ Pratt said in a video posted to Instagram the day news broke of McFarr’s death.
‘We did several movies together. We golfed, drank whiskey, smoked cigars, and spent endless hours on set.’
He added: ‘I’ll never forget his toughness. I remember he took a nasty shot to the head [in the title sequence of Guardians 2] and got several staples in his head – he came right back to work ready to go again. He was an absolute stud.
‘He was always a gentleman and professional,’ Pratt, who worked with McFarr on four films over the course of his career, concluded.
‘He’ll be missed. My prayers go out to his friends and family, especially his daughter.’
He went on to post a sequence of photos with his lookalike during their work on films like Passengers, 2017’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2, and the 2018 Jurassic World sequel, Fallen Kingdom, all in costume.
In addition to a daughter, McFarr also had a wife, Thais McFarr, with whom he ran a health-food restaurant called The Fit Kitchen, located in Peachtree City, Georgia.
‘We did several movies together. We golfed, drank whiskey, smoked cigars, and spent endless hours on set,’ said after McFarr’s death, after four films with him as his double
The stunt man left behind a wife, Thais McFarr, in 2018. The couple owned a restaurant called The Fit Kitchen in Peachtree City, Georgia
Florida’s Orange County Medical Examiner has reportedly ruled McFarr’s death was the result of an irregular heartbeat and an issue with his heart valves – as well as symptoms of heavy drinking
At the time of his death he was living in a $500,000 four bedroom home, where he was found unresponsive in May. The medical examiner confirmed this in the documents obtained Tuesday, and noted that his body had likely been there for sometime, as it was decomposing
He was found at the pair’s picturesque home in a suburb just outside Orlando, unresponsive. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The medical examiner confirmed this in the documents obtained on Tuesday, and noted that his body had likely been there for sometime, as it was already decomposing.
It also offered insight as to what his BAC was by the time his body was examined, which the medical examiner noted was 0.29 percent.
For reference, the legal BAC limit for driving is .08 in most states, meaning McFarr’s blood had nearly four times that concentration by the time his body was found.
He began his career in 2011 with a stint on the cop drama Bones, and was a business graduate of Florida State University and obtained his MBA from LSU Shreveport.
He also worked briefly as an actor.
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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk