O'Hara, who is best known for her role in Home Alone, died from a pulmonary embolism according to her death certificate issued by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The actress died on January 30th at the age of 71, after being rushed to hospital with breathing difficulties. It has been revealed that the underlying cause of her death was rectal cancer. O'Hara didn't speak out about her battle with cancer although she showed signs of being ill after she missed this years Golden Globes where she was nominated for an award for her role in 'The Studio'.
The US Sun revealed that O'Hara was "forced" to miss the start of filming for season 2 of 'The Studio' due to health issues. The US Sun also revealed that an "insider close to production" shared that the filming schedule was quietly changed to accommodate the actress for "personal matter."
O'Hara became a household name after her role in 'Home Alone' where she played Kate McAllister, on-screen mother to Macaulay Culkin. Shortly after the news of O'Hara's death, Culkin posted a heartwarming tribute, he said: “Mama. I thought we had time. I wanted more. I wanted to sit in a chair next to you. I heard you, but I had so much more to say."
According to the NHS, a pulmonary embolism is a "blood clot blocks a blood vessel in your lungs" and can be life threatening when not treated quickly. The main symptoms of a pulmonary embolism are:
The NHS also state that you may experience pain, swelling and redness in one leg, typically the calf, and should contact a GP if you're experiencing symptoms. You can find more information here.
