Celebrity / Bill Paxton What Led to the Stroke That Apparently Killed Bill Paxton TMZ: death certificate notes complications after valve replacement surgery for aneurysm By Jenn Gidman, Newser Staff Posted Mar 6, 2017 1:48 PM CST Copied Sad. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File) It's been just over a week since the world found out about the sudden death of actor Bill Paxton at the age of 61, and now there's reportedly more info on what happened. Per an apparent copy of Paxton's death certificate now in the hands of TMZ, the Titanic star was killed by a stroke on Feb. 25 that arose from complications after a Feb. 14 valve replacement surgery to remedy an aortic aneurysm he'd had. He's listed as having passed away at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. (Storm chasers have been paying their respects to Paxton, who also starred in Twister.) Report an error