Brittany Murphy News Story

There are numerous celebrities who have dealt with mold issues. Erin Brockovich, Michael Jordan, and Bianca Jagger, to name a few. (See this website for more information.)  Add Rachael Ray to the list, according to this New York Post article.

TMZ has reported that mold has been implicated in the deaths of actress Brittany Murphy and husband Simon Monjack. Both died of pneumonia. Both had anemia. There is a flurry of speculation surrounding this story. The Los Angeles County Assistant Chief Coroner claims the deaths were not mold related. Simon's mother believes it's a possibility.

I agree with Simon's mom. Signs of toxic mold poisoning include anemia and respiratory illness. Prescription or over-the-counter medications would make sense for symptom management.

The critical next step is to get proper testing of the home. Improper testing can result in false conclusions. Air samples alone do not determine the health of an environment. We know this from our own experience. We tested Chris' office soon after we vacated our home. (His office was located in the garage.) Air samples came out completely clean. Dust samples revealed high levels of aspergillus.

I'm not sure we'll ever solve the mystery surrounding the deaths of Brittany Murphy and her husband. We do know this: two people with a bright future succumbed to the same respiratory illness within six months of each other.

I hope and pray this story helps us connect our environment with our health.