Producer Matt Wright's private heart issues disclosed after his death
Matt Wright, a longtime producer for The Ellen DeGeneres Show, died in his sleep at 52; friends say he had been dealing with heart problems and a GoFundMe was launched to cover funeral expenses.
Matt Wright, who spent 16 years on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and later served as its executive producer, died in his sleep in Los Angeles on Oct. 30 at age 52. Close contacts said he had been privately battling heart problems, though an official cause of death has not been released.
A GoFundMe campaign was created to fund the transport of Wright's body to his hometown in New York and to support a memorial in Los Angeles. The fundraiser, initially set at $50,000, has nearly doubled its target. Contributions are also intended to assist Wright's niece, Sami.
Wright and his husband, Justin Fusella, were laid off from their jobs earlier this summer. Colleagues described Wright as a hard-working figure who often stayed at the office until 11 p.m. He had also worked on The View, The Drew Barrymore Show and The Jennifer Hudson Show, visiting Hudson on set just hours before his death.
Ellen DeGeneres donated $5,000 to the campaign, which drew commentary on social media regarding the size of the contribution.