He was 101. Honestly, let that sink in for a second. When you hit a century of life, "cause of death" usually becomes a formality, but for a man who spent his career repairing literal hearts and his later years leading millions of spiritual ones, people naturally wanted specifics.
Russell M. Nelson, the 17th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, passed away on September 27, 2025. He didn't die in a hospital bed surrounded by beeping machines or after some long, public battle with a specific disease. According to the official statement from the Church, he passed away peacefully of natural causes due to his advanced age.
He was at home in Salt Lake City. It was just after 10 p.m. on a Saturday night.
The Medical Reality of 101 Years
You've gotta realize that for a world-renowned heart surgeon, Nelson was kind of a walking miracle of longevity himself. Most folks who reach 101 have a "cause of death" that doctors basically describe as the body simply reaching its limit.
There wasn't a sudden stroke or a dramatic heart failure in the way you might see in a medical drama. Instead, it was the quiet conclusion of a life that had been remarkably vigorous right up until the end. Just two weeks before he died, he had celebrated his 101st birthday. He was still writing, still sharing messages on social media, and still technically at the helm of a global organization with over 17 million members.
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Dealing With the Rumors
In the weeks leading up to his passing, the "Mormon internet" was buzzing with all sorts of theories. If you were scrolling through Reddit or X (formerly Twitter) in late September 2025, you probably saw the rumors. Some claimed he had lost his sight in both eyes. Others whispered that he hadn't been seen in person because he was incapacitated.
A lot of this stemmed from a "hearsay report" involving Elder Quentin L. Cook at a stake meeting, where a source claimed Nelson was blind due to age. The Church never confirmed those specific health details.
What we do know is that Nelson had been dealing with the physical fallout of a fall he took in September 2023. That fall injured the muscles in his back, and for a while, he was using a wheelchair or participating in meetings virtually. But he wasn't "hidden away." He was 100 years old! If anything, the fact that he was still recording video messages and directing church affairs from his home office was pretty wild.
A Life Defined by the Heart
It’s almost poetic that a heart surgeon died of "natural causes" while his heart was, by all accounts, still full of work.
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- He helped develop the first heart-lung machine.
- He performed the first open-heart surgery in Utah back in 1955.
- He spent four decades as an apostle before even becoming the President.
When he took over in 2018 at the age of 93, people figured he’d be a "caretaker" president—someone to just keep the seat warm for a few years. Instead, he went on a tear. He changed the name of the church (insisting on the full title over "Mormon"), overhauled the Sunday meeting schedule, and announced a record-breaking number of temples.
What Happened After He Passed?
The transition was fast, but that’s how this church works. There’s no campaigning or voting. It’s a seniority-based system that has been in place for a long time.
Dallin H. Oaks, who was Nelson's right-hand man and the next senior apostle, was sustained as the 18th President of the Church on October 14, 2025. He’s 93 himself. The "Nelson Era" was defined by a frantic pace of change, and while Oaks is known for being a bit more of a traditionalist jurist, he has largely signaled that he's continuing the path Nelson set.
Why the "Natural Causes" Label Matters
In our modern world, we always want a specific culprit—cancer, pneumonia, a fall. But for Russell M. Nelson, the lack of a specific "disease" in the headlines is a testament to his health. He lived what doctors call a "squared-off life curve," where you stay high-functioning for as long as possible and then decline very rapidly at the very end.
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He was predeceased by his first wife, Dantzel, and two of his ten children. He left behind his second wife, Wendy, and a massive family including 57 grandchildren and over 160 great-grandchildren.
Basically, he didn't "fade away" over a decade of illness. He worked until the lights went out.
Actionable Takeaways for Following Church History
If you're looking to stay updated on the leadership changes or the legacy of President Nelson, here is what you should do next:
- Review the October 2025 General Conference Archives: This was the first major gathering after his death and contains the most direct tributes and official biographical reflections on his final days.
- Monitor the "Church Newsroom" for Policy Shifts: Under President Oaks, the focus has shifted slightly toward domestic religious freedom and legal clarity, though the "Nelson-style" temple building continues.
- Study the "Peacemaker" Initiative: In his final year, Nelson pushed heavily for "celestial" communication and being a peacemaker. This remains the core "final message" his family and successors emphasize.
The story of Russell M. Nelson isn't just about how he died; it's about the fact that he managed to stay relevant and active for 101 years. That’s a medical and leadership feat that very few people in history can claim.