Ritter Family Urges Aortic Disease Awareness

Richard Kline spoke in support of The John Ritter Foundation, which works to raise awareness of aortic disease after the actor's death.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Heart Disease

Ritter Family Urges Aortic Disease Awareness

Richard Kline supported The John Ritter Foundation at a Three's Company anniversary event. John Ritter died in 2003 of a thoracic aortic dissection that was undiagnosed and then misdiagnosed in the emergency room.

Why it matters

The case of John Ritter highlights how aortic tears can be missed, and the foundation aims to make aortic disease better understood by the public. Its work includes scanning and diagnosing aortic tears.

John Ritter died in 2003 from a thoracic aortic dissection that was missed at first, and Tom Ritter's ascending aortic aneurysm was found four years later. Tex Ritter's sudden death, once assumed to be a heart attack, is now believed by the family to have been an aortic dissection, though this remains unconfirmed.

The players

John Ritter Foundation

A nonprofit established by Amy Yasbeck after John Ritter's death to raise awareness of aortic disease and support diagnosis of aortic tears.

Amy Yasbeck

Actress and wife of John Ritter, who founded the foundation in his memory and has spoken publicly about his misdiagnosis.

The details

Amy Yasbeck established the foundation after Ritter's death to raise awareness of aortic disease. Dr. Dianna Milewicz advised that everyone needs an annual echocardiogram to monitor the aorta.

2003: John Ritter dies from an aortic dissection.
Four years after 2003: Tom Ritter's aneurysm is found and he undergoes lifesaving surgery to replace his aortic arch.

Big Picture

John Ritter's 2003 death from an undiagnosed aortic dissection remains the defining example behind the foundation's push for routine aortic screening. The family's later discovery of Tom Ritter's aneurysm shows how that push has reached beyond the original case.

Dr. Dianna Milewicz advises that everyone needs an annual echocardiogram to monitor the aorta. Anyone with a family history of aortic problems should discuss screening with a physician.

The takeaway

A sudden, severe chest or back pain can signal an aortic dissection, and a missed diagnosis can be fatal, so prompt imaging matters. Annual echocardiograms are one way to monitor the aorta over time.