Kris Kristofferson was battling Lyme illness throughout the previous couple of years of his life. Earlier than the late A Star Is Born actor died on the age of 88 in September 2024, he had been misdiagnosed with one other sickness. Whereas talking with Rolling Stone in 2016, Kris and his spouse, Lisa Meyers, revealed that he was initially identified with Alzheimer’s Illness. To study extra about Kris’ well being and the way he managed Lyme illness, maintain studying.
Kris Kristofferson’s Well being
Throughout his 2016 interview with Rolling Stone, Kris defined that he was experiencing reminiscence loss. Lisa spoke with LymeDisease.org shortly thereafter and shared extra particulars about her husband’s well being.
“About 12 years in the past, he was identified with fibromyalgia, which wanting again, ought to have been the primary indication {that a} check for Lyme was warranted,” Lisa defined to the web site in 2016. “However we suspect he’s been contaminated with Lyme anyplace from 14 to 30 years as a result of he used to have these power muscle spasms, which is a standard symptom.”
Lisa elaborated that the docs surrounding her and Kris weren’t “conscious” of Lyme illness on the time, and subsequently, confused it with Alzheimer’s Illness.

Main as much as his Lyme illness prognosis, Lisa recalled Kris’ fibromyalgia. For some time, he had “huge, painful spasms throughout his again and legs,” including that watching her husband’s ache was “so horrible.” She additionally identified that the “Me and Bobby McGee” songwriter’s “nerve endings had been inflicting golf ball-sized, painful contractions that we battled with acupuncture, warmth and therapeutic massage, then lastly a spinal cortisone shot by a rheumatologist, and a low dose antidepressant.”
Lisa additionally recalled Kris engaged on the movie Disappearances, which required him to be on the forest flooring “for many of the shoot” and being “dragged in a makeshift sling” for the entire film.
“In the course of the aftermath of that movie, Kris was identified with average to extreme sleep apnea, warranting a bi-level CPAP machine, which he tried and refused to make use of,” Lisa continued. “He had painful knees and annual knee photographs, a pacemaker for arrhythmias — which we now know may very well be from Lyme — a lot Advil for complications that he obtained anemic.”
Lastly, Kris was formally identified with Lyme illness in early 2016.
What Is Lyme Illness?
In line with Mayo Clinic, Lyme illness is brought on from a tick carrying borrelia micro organism. The primary and most typical signal of the sickness is a rash after being bitten by a tick. If left untreated, the situation can result in “immune-system exercise in coronary heart tissue that causes irregular heartbeats” along with ache, numbness and/or stiffness in several components of the physique.
What Did Kris Kristofferson Die of?
It’s at present unclear what Kris’ reason for demise was. In his household’s assertion, Kris’ spouse and eight kids mentioned he died “peacefully” at dwelling.
“It’s with a heavy coronary heart that we share the information our husband/father/grandfather, Kris Kristofferson, handed away peacefully on Saturday, September 28, at dwelling,” the assertion learn. “We’re all so blessed for our time with him. Thanks for loving him all these a few years, and while you see a rainbow, know he’s smiling down at us all.”









