Ralphie May Dead at 45

Ralphie May launched his comedy career after being the first runner-up on Last Comic Standing in 2003. Since then, he's had endless stand-up specials.

Unfortunately, Ralphie May has died at the age of 45.

And we have a few details about that. ...

Ralphie May often joked about his own mortality.

During one stand-up special (I want to say that it was Girth of a Nation, but I can't swear to it), he refers to how surely no one in the audience would be surprised if he fell over dead of a heart attack at that very moment, given the degree of his obesity.

In his no-holds-barred stand-up (including titles -- again, he had a show titled Girth of a Nation), he didn't shy away from referring to his weight. Some of his clothing seemed selected to emphasize his frame rather than, as many might do, minimize it.

TMZ reports that Ralphie May has died of cardiac arrest.

After a 6-week battle with pneumonia during which he nonetheless continued to perform his shows in Vegas, Ralphie died of cardiac arrest.

He was in a private residence in Vegas, and that is reportedly where someone discovered his body.

After 10 years of marriage, Ralphie and his wife and fellow stand-up artist Lahna Turner had gotten a divorce ... which quickly became an ugly custody battle.

Back in October of 2015, Lahna Turner filed divorce documents, citing irreconcilable differences.

The couple has a 10-year-old daughter and an 8-year-old son, and the fight over custody has continued even in 2017.

Earlier this year, Ralphie May -- who has never been shy about his fondness for marijuana -- even agreed to random drug tests in order to be allowed to have visitations with his children.

He was granted two visitations a week (which were to be supervised) and an additional Skype call.

Ralphie will be remembered for more than just his comedy career.

(Though we expect Netflix views of his shows to go up over the weekend)

In late June of 2016, TMZ reported that Ralphie May had saved a baby's life.

In an airport, the baby was choking and the mother cried out for help. One person tried but failed to help, and then Robbie successfully performed the Heimlich maneuver and restored the baby's ability to breathe.

It's not really a surprise that he learned it -- custody battle or no, he was a parent, and he'd no doubt learned as so many parents do about how to potentially save their children's lives.

Or maybe he'd just picked it up like others do, from television or whatever.

It's easy to see celebrities who just do one thing -- like comedy -- as totally one-dimensional when, in reality, they're anything but.

While Ralphie May joked about his mortality and would doubtless joke about his own demise if he could, this is definitely sad news.

He had a tremendous talent for making people laugh and bringing people joy.

We can only imagine how much his chidlren will miss him, because even those who were merely his fans are already in mourning.

Rest in peace, Ralphie.

View Slideshow: Celebrities Who Died in 2017: In Memoriam