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Anna Nicole Smith, the former Playboy playmate whose bizarre life careened from marrying an octogenarian billionaire to the untimely death of her son, died Thursday after collapsing in a Florida hotel room, one of her lawyers said. Smith, 39, collapsed and was unresponsive while staying at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, said the attorney, Ron Rale. Edwina Johnson, chief investigator of the Broward County Medical Examiner’s Office, said the cause of death was under investigation and an autopsy would be done on Friday. A private nurse called 911 after finding Smith unresponsive in her sixth-floor room, said Seminole Police Chief Charlie Tiger. He said Smith’s bodyguard administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation about an hour before she was declared dead at 2:49 p.m.
“She checked in Monday at 8 p.m. as a guest. She was due to check out tomorrow,” said Danielle Giordaano, a spokeswoman for the hotel.
Smith had been a tabloid staple even before she became Playboy’s playmate of the year in 1993. Readers were fascinated by her bombshell good looks, her marriage to an elderly billionaire and subsequent court fight over his estate, her weight fluctuations, and last year, the sudden death of her 20-year-old son, Daniel Smith.
“I’m sure a lot of people had a special feeling for her because she was so vulnerable. She was like a little baby bird that you wanted to scoop up,” said former supermodel Helena Christenson outside the Calvin Klein fashion show Thursday in New York City. “It’s a tragedy,” said Fern Mallis, vice president of IMG, the organization staging Fashion Week. ” I don’t think she’s really perceived as a model. She was more of a personality. She had her moment and it was much too short.”
Click Here for more on the story. Rest in peace Anna, I’m happy that you’re finally getting the rest that everyone knows you deserved…
