Tommy ‘Tiny’ Lister had COVID-19 before his death but died of heart disease

Tommy ‘Tiny’ Lister was suffering from COVID-19 at the time of his death on December 10, 2020.

But according to documents from the LA County Medical Examiner that were obtained by TMZ, it was heart disease that killed the actor at age 62, not the coronavirus.

Prior to his shocking death, Lister was best known for his role as the neighborhood bully in the comedy classic Friday.

Lister’s potential COVID-19 diagnosis was first reported to DailyMailTV by his manager Cindy Cowan, but the Medical Examiner’s report confirms that he was afflicted with the novel coronavirus.

However, hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, commonly called heart disease, appear to be the official causes of his death. 

According to the medical examiner, the Fifth Element star had fluid in his lungs at the time of his death.

A nasal swab test also came back positive for the coronavirus, though it’s unclear if it was a test performed prior to his death or afterward. 

The medical examiner’s documents say Lister was already suffering from an enlarged heart and high blood pressure, as well as coronary artery disease and poor circulation in his legs.

Coronary artery disease occurs when the walls of the bodies arteries become covered with cholesterol and fatty plaque deposits. 

The build-up raises blood pressure, and the added stress on the heart can cause it to grow.

People suffering from coronary artery disease can experience chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath and heart attacks, though the condition can be treated via exercise and a change in diet, or even surgery. 

It’s unclear if Lister’s condition was so dire that he might have died even without testing positive for Covid-19.

He appeared to be having trouble breathing and coughed several times during a 13-minute Zoom interview conducted just days before his death.

Lister was speaking with TV and radio personality Brandon Jay from his Marina Del Rey apartment.

This was the second bout with Covid-19 for Lister, as he had previously tested positive for the illness back in August 2020 and overcame it at the time.

Lister is best known for his role as the bully in the 1995 comedy Friday, which starred Ice Cube and Chris Tucker, as well as its 2000 sequel Next Friday.

He starred in the science fiction film The Fifth Element as President Lindberg, and he played a pivotal role in 2008’s The Dark Knight as a prisoner whose moral code saves passengers trapped on a ferry that’s armed with a bomb.

He worked steadily through 2019, though one of his last major performances was as the con man sidekick of Jason Bateman’s character in the Disney film Zootopia.