Paul Daniel “Ace” Frehleythe lead guitarist and co-founder of the rock group KISS, died on October 16, 2025, his family confirmed. Frehley was 74. With no known health issues in recent years, fans of the “Rock and Roll All Nite” artist are wondering what his cause of death could have been.
Hours after TMZ reported that Freshley was on life support, his family announced that he died in a statement obtained by Variety. It read, “We are completely devastated and heartbroken. In his last moments, we were fortunate enough to have been able to surround him with loving, caring, peaceful words, thoughts, prayers and intentions as he left this earth. We cherish all of his finest memories, his laughter, and celebrate his strengths and kindness that he bestowed upon others. The magnitude of his passing is of epic proportions, and beyond comprehension. Reflecting on all of his incredible life achievements, Ace’s memory will continue to live on forever!”
Below, learn what happened to Frehley and what we know about his untimely death.
Did Ace Frehley Have Any Health Issues?
Frehley never publicly announced any major health issues. However, he reportedly sustained a brain bleed in September 2025 and had to cancel his upcoming tour dates. He was hospitalized and placed on life support, per TMZ.
Ace Frehley’s Cause of Death
Unfortunately, Frehley’s brain bleed caused a decline in health during his last few weeks, and he died as a result. TMZ reported that he had been placed on life support for “some time,” and his family had contemplated taking him off life support.
What Happened to Ace Frehley? How He Died
Frehley fell in his studio in September 2025, a statement shared to his Instagram account revealed. At the time, the fall was considered “minor.”
“Ace had a minor fall in his studio, resulting in a trip to the hospital,” the September 25 Instagram caption read. “He is fine, but against his wishes, his doctor insists that he refrain from travel at this time. As a result, he is forced to cancel his performance at the Antelope Valley Fair in Lancaster, California on Friday, September 26th. Please go to the fair to support his friends in Quiet Riot and Vixen, and Ace looks forward to continuing on his tour and finishing work on his next album, ‘Origins Vol. 4.’”
It turned out that Frehley’s fall was actually more serious. On October 6, a separate statement was released on his Instagram page, which read, “Due to some ongoing medical issues, Ace has made the difficult decision to cancel the remainder of his 2025 dates.”
Frehley died about 10 days later.
