Ralphie May Dead at 45: Fellow Comedians and More Stars Remember His ''Kind, Generous Soul''

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The comedy world is bidding farewell to Ralphie May. 

E! News confirmed the stand-up comic who became a household name thanks to Last Comic Standing passed away Friday at 45-years-old. He leaves behind children April June and August James as well as his wife, fellow comedian Lahna Turner. 

May's rep shared in a statement, "Ralphie had been battling pneumonia and had cancelled a handful of dates over the last month in an effort to recover. Earlier this morning at a private residence in Las Vegas his body was discovered, cause of death is cardiac arrest."

Only two days ago, the Global Gaming Expo honored May with the Casino Comedian of the Year award and was preparing to continue his residency at Harrah's Las Vegas. 

In the wake of his untimely passing, May's celebrity colleagues and other members of the comedy community have flocked to social media with heartwarming tributes to their friend. 

From his larger-than-life personality to unmistakable generosity, stars like Bob Saget, Ken Jeong, Kevin Hart and more are sharing why they'll never forget Ralphie May. 

This hurts too much. @Ralphie_May helped me so much. Rest In Peace. Thank you for all the love you have given me. Thank you for everything.

— Ken Jeong (@kenjeong) October 6, 2017

Ralphie May. Dammit. You were a funny and sweet mofo man. Rest In Peace.

— bob saget (@bobsaget) October 6, 2017

Oh man fellow comedian and friend Ralphie May just died. So crazy. RIP Ralphie. You my friend were one of the nicest and kindest out there.

— Larry The Cable Guy (@GitRDoneLarry) October 6, 2017

Wow....I was just told that Ralphie May passed. I'm truly saddened by this. He was a good dude. Heaven just got another funny angel RIP man

— Kevin Hart (@KevinHart4real) October 6, 2017

It was a fun summer with you n biscuit. Safe next gig. Miss the shit out of you already. Xoxo n #RIP @Ralphie_May http://pic.twitter.com/MMmvlQjnA9

— Kathleen Madigan (@kathleenmadigan) October 6, 2017

So sad to hear about Ralphie. Sweet guy. He loved doing stand up and loved comedians. #RIPRalphieMay

— Jim Gaffigan (@JimGaffigan) October 6, 2017

Crushed by the news about @Ralphie_May. Forget how funny he was...such a kind, generous soul. We will miss you, brother.

— Josh Wolf (@joshwolfcomedy) October 6, 2017

I love you @Ralphie_May rest in paradise my friend. Thank you for giving me my first break in hollywood.

— Jo Koy (@Jokoy) October 6, 2017

In 2015, May reflected on life as a stand-up comic and his future in the industry during an interview with Bent Source. 

"Well, you know, stand-up comedy was never work until I had children," he shared. "Being a great stand-up means there's a price to pay in that that I have to pay, too, and that's that I'm not with my children and my wife. That takes a toll. You miss the things that matter. From pulling teeth to being there in the night for nightmares, snuggles. To sports triumphs, school triumphs. Shows. Things you should be a part of as a parent. Bathing and getting dressed and brushing the teeth of your children and reading stories before bedtime."

"You know, and that's what it's really about, man," Ralphie continued. "That's something that I miss a lot and I don't wanna miss it anymore. It's really hard. So, if I could find something else that would pay as much, or a quarter as much, as what I'm doing now, I'd do it in a heartbeat just so I could sleep in my bed next to my wife and hug and kiss my babies and see them everyday."

We extend our deepest condolences to his family and friends.