O.J. Simpson Has Died at the Age of 76 Leaving Behind Four Children and a Dark Legacy
"During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace."
Published April 11 2024, 1:28 p.m. ET
There are so many things that come to mind when the name O.J. Simpson is uttered. He was a prolific football player who won the Heisman trophy in 1968. He broke multiple records as a running back for the Buffalo Bills. He parlayed his popularity in the sports world into a successful career in commercials which led to several memorable moments on the big screen. Many would describe Simpson as affable and charming — until he was forever linked to a double murder.
People of a certain age remember where they were when Simpson took Los Angeles police on a slow-speed chase, while in the backseat of a white Ford Bronco being driven by his best friend. He was later arrested and charged with first-degree murder for the deaths of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and one of her friends. Throughout all of this, Simpson also held another title — father. In April 2024, his family announced that Simpson had died at the age of 76. Where are O.J. Simpson's kids now? Here's what we know.
O.J. Simpson had five kids.
According to Vogue, Simpson married his first wife Marguerite L. Whitley in 1967 and had three children with her. Sadly their youngest daughter Aaren Simpson died in August 1979 when she was only 23 months old, per the St. Petersburg Times. Aaren was at her mother's home (the couple divorced in 1979) where she drowned in the pool. Although paramedics were able to revive her after administering CPR, Aaren died at the hospital eight days later.
Simpson's remaining children have largely stayed out of the public eye since his trial. His oldest daughter, Arnelle Simpson, testified in July 1995. The then 26-year-old spoke about her father's reaction to Nicole's death, saying he was "emotional, distraught, and out of control," per CNN. As of the time of this writing, Arnelle's Instagram profile is private, although AmoMama said it was filled with photos of her with various children as well as her mother.
Jason Simpson is Simpson's oldest son, and by all accounts, was the most troubled. Business Insider reported that before the murders, Jason was diagnosed with intermittent rage disorder and was prescribed "Depakote to control his rage and seizures." Later, a private investigator by the name of William Dear dedicated a chunk of his life to clearing Simpson and pinning the murders on his son. Despite this in 2016, the Los Angeles Times said that Jason had been working as a chef in Atlanta for the past two years.
Simpson's two children with his late ex-wife Nicole stayed in their father's life after the trial. Sydney Simpson attended Boston University and graduated in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology. Her brother Justin found his way into real estate, per his Twitter profile, and according to his bio, he lives in Las Vegas.
O.J. Simpson's cause of death has been revealed.
On April 11, 2024, Simpson's family tweeted from his account that their father had passed away. He "succumbed to his battle with cancer," and was surrounded by his "children and grandchildren." They went on to say that, "During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace."
After his death was announced, social media was flooded with cheers and jokes about his passing. It's hard to feel sympathy for a man who everyone is convinced murdered two people. It didn't help that Simpson made a couple of jokes about that time in his life after joining Twitter in June 2019. As with all things in life, this was and still is a complicated situation. He had a family who loved him and stood by him as he took his last breath. The thoughts and prayers belong to them at this time.
