Famous comedian Joan Rivers died in New York on Thursday, a week after she suffered cardiac arrest during an outpatient medical procedure, her daughter said in a statement.
She was 81.
“It is with great sadness that I announce the death of my mother, Joan Rivers. She passed peacefully at 1:17 pm, surrounded by family and close friends,” Melissa Rivers said. “My mother’s greatest joy in life was to make people laugh. Although that is difficult to do right now, I know her final wish would be that we return to laughing soon,” Melissa Rivers added.
Rivers stopped breathing and suffered cardiac arrest in New York last week during a procedure on her vocal cords, and was placed on life support at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan. The comedian, who was known for her acerbic brand of humor, had a long and glittering career.
