Actor Patrick Muldoon, who died on April 19, 2026 at 57, was remembered on May 16 during a memorial mass held at St. Monica’s Catholic Church in Santa Monica, with a reception that came nearly one month after his sudden death.
According to a death certificate obtained exclusively by Us Weekly, Muldoon died from a heart attack with multiple underlying causes, including a pulmonary embolism and a coagulation disorder that impaired his blood’s ability to clot properly. Sources close to the actor said Muldoon had gone to take a shower after drinking coffee with his girlfriend when he suffered the fatal episode, making the loss all the more shocking to those around him.
Teammates and Co-Stars Say Goodbye
The “Days of Our Lives” and “Melrose Place” star was honored during the service on May 16, where friends, family and former co-stars gathered to celebrate his life. University of Southern California football teammates joined Hollywood peers and longtime friends at the reception.
Rodney Peete, Muldoon’s former USC Trojans teammate, shared photos from the service on Instagram. “Tough Day saying goodbye to my friend Pat Muldoon!!! He was my Teammate, my brother, my friend. Miss you already brotha,” Peete wrote in his tribute.
Though Muldoon was best known for his soap and primetime work, he was also a star football player as a teenager, playing tight end for USC in the 1980s. Former teammates traded stories alongside the actor’s Hollywood circle at the reception, where that chapter of his life was front and center.
Muldoon’s sister, Shana Muldoon Zappa, reposted tributes throughout the day, writing, “I know Patrick is smiling and saying Fight On from Spirit” — a nod to her brother’s enduring loyalty to the USC Trojans.
Family and Friends Honor His Memory
Among those who attended was Sami Sheen, daughter of Muldoon’s ex-girlfriend Denise Richards. Sheen shared a photo of the program via Instagram, simply captioning it, “Miss u so much Patrick.”
Actress Andrea Bendewald, a longtime friend, posted lyrics from Muldoon’s 2009 song “Become Everything,” which he recorded with his band the Sleeping Masses. She described the day as a celebration of “an extraordinary life, family & legacy.”
A statement released to the media in the days following his death captured the spirit of the man being mourned. “With his poetry, his humor, and his unmistakable presence, [Patrick] loved animals and people alike, gave unforgettable hugs, and possessed a rare quality of making others feel safe and seen,” the statement read. “Stylish, charismatic, and full of life, he embraced each day with a full-tilt, rock ‘n’ roll spirit.”
Denise Richards Reflects on Decades-Long Friendship
Richards, who dated Muldoon in the late 1990s after the two starred together in the 1997 science fiction classic “Starship Troopers,” publicly mourned him, describing herself as deeply heartbroken and devastated.
In her tribute, Richards reflected on a friendship that began long before either of them became household names. She recalled meeting Muldoon in their first acting class, when she was 19 and had never had an acting job, while he was 21 and a student at USC, with a recurring role on “Who’s the Boss.” That, she noted, was decades ago — nearly her entire adult life.
Tributes poured in from across Muldoon’s industry in the weeks leading up to the memorial, including remembrances from former “Days of Our Lives” castmate Lisa Rinna, ex-girlfriend Tori Spelling and numerous soap stars.
Final Projects and Lasting Impact
Adding a bittersweet coda to his career, Muldoon and Richards had recently reunited onscreen in the crime drama “Dirty Hands,” which was released just days after his passing. The film gives fans one final look at the chemistry between the two longtime friends who first crossed paths in an acting class more than three decades ago.
He had also been set to executive produce the upcoming feature “Kockroach,” starring Chris Hemsworth, Taron Egerton, Zazie Beetz and Alec Baldwin — a project he had excitedly announced on Instagram shortly before his death. Production on the film has since wrapped in Australia, with a theatrical release expected in late 2026 or early 2027.
As the reception wound down and mourners filed out of the Santa Monica church, the message from those closest to Muldoon was clear: the actor’s larger-than-life presence, easy humor and deep loyalty would not soon be forgotten — by Hollywood, by USC, or by the family and friends he leaves behind.