Kris Kristofferson was battling Lyme disease during the last few years of his life. Before the late A Star Is Born actor died at the age of 88 in September 2024, he had been misdiagnosed with another illness. While speaking with Rolling Stone in 2016, Kris and his wife, Lisa Meyers, revealed that he was initially diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. To learn more about Kris’ health and how he managed Lyme disease, keep reading.
Kris Kristofferson’s Health
During his 2016 interview with Rolling Stone, Kris explained that he was experiencing memory loss. Lisa spoke with LymeDisease.org shortly thereafter and shared more details about her husband’s health.
“About 12 years ago, he was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, which looking back, should have been the first indication that a test for Lyme was warranted,” Lisa explained to the website in 2016. “But we suspect he’s been infected with Lyme anywhere from 14 to 30 years because he used to have these chronic muscle spasms, which is a common symptom.”
Lisa elaborated that the doctors surrounding her and Kris weren’t “aware” of Lyme disease at the time, and therefore, confused it with Alzheimer’s Disease.
Leading up to his Lyme disease diagnosis, Lisa recalled Kris’ fibromyalgia. For a while, he had “massive, painful spasms all over his back and legs,” adding that watching her husband’s pain was “so horrible.” She also pointed out that the “Me and Bobby McGee” songwriter’s “nerve endings were causing golf ball-sized, painful contractions that we battled with acupuncture, heat and massage, then finally a spinal cortisone shot by a rheumatologist, and a low dose antidepressant.”
Lisa also recalled Kris working on the film Disappearances, which required him to be on the forest floor “for most of the shoot” and being “dragged in a makeshift sling” for the whole movie.
“During the aftermath of that film, Kris was diagnosed with moderate to severe sleep apnea, warranting a bi-level CPAP machine, which he tried and refused to use,” Lisa continued. “He had painful knees and annual knee shots, a pacemaker for arrhythmias — which we now know could be from Lyme — so much Advil for headaches that he got anemic.”
Finally, Kris was formally diagnosed with Lyme disease in early 2016.
What Is Lyme Disease?
According to Mayo Clinic, Lyme disease is caused from a tick carrying borrelia bacteria. The first and most common sign of the illness is a rash after being bitten by a tick. If left untreated, the condition can lead to “immune-system activity in heart tissue that causes irregular heartbeats” in addition to pain, numbness and/or stiffness in different parts of the body.
What Did Kris Kristofferson Die of?
It’s currently unclear what Kris’ cause of death was. In his family’s statement, Kris’ wife and eight children said he died “peacefully” at home.
“It is with a heavy heart that we share the news our husband/father/grandfather, Kris Kristofferson, passed away peacefully on Saturday, September 28, at home,” the statement read. “We’re all so blessed for our time with him. Thank you for loving him all these many years, and when you see a rainbow, know he’s smiling down at us all.”