Image courtesy of Microse from DonLaFontaine.com

It was only a week ago today that we first posted about Don LaFontaine’s failing health. Over the past week reports from his family and friends were coming in that sounded hopeful - that sounded like Don was on the mend again. Maybe that’s why it seems harder to write that at 1:50PM on Monday September 1st, 2008, Don LaFontaine passed away from his illness at Cedar Sinai Hospital at the age of 68.

Don’s health has been touch and go over the past year due to throat and lung related illness. The official cause of death is still undetermined but his passing followed complications from Pneumothorax, the presence of air or gas in the pleural cavity, the result of a collapsed lung.

More news will surely come out over the following days and in the meantime we can only give our best and send our prayers to Don’s wife Nita, his three girls and all his close friends. A Titan in a world of kings, Don will be missed.

Voice Over Video Sunday

With word coming this week of Don’s ailing health I thought it would only be fitting for this week’s VOVS to be wonderful and fun video of an interview that he gave. From his humble beginnings in a log cabin making prank phone calls to his school all the way up to current career as a voice over talent and his dreams of working at Denny’s, this video gives a great insight on the man we all refer to as “The Voice”.

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The Don

Don LaFontaine, the world’s premiere movie trailer voice over talent, is in the hospital today with a blood clot in his lung. In a letter sent out yesterday on August 25th, Nita, Don’s wife, gave an update on his health. It’s with a heavy heart that we hear that he is now in critical condition and Nita and their girls are asking for everyone’s prayers.

Dear friends and family,

I need you help and I’m reaching out to all of you. My wonderful husband is in critical condition at Cedar Sinai hospital; a blood clot is lodged in his lung and he is fighting for his life. This happened on Saturday after I’d taken him in for shortness of breath on Friday. He was doing very well and I left him talking and being funny on Friday evening. Without all the details, I got a call on Saturday morning as I was heading there to visit. There has been some lovely improvement yesterday but he is very sick right now. We need your concentrated prayers! Have your churches synagogues, temples send out prayers for Don’s healing and wellness. Light a candle, chant, whatever you do to send that loving energy and light to him, I would appreciate. And save a little for the girls and me. We have had small miracles already and if we all shout up to God collectively, I know how powerful that can be. He is fighting and we all are fighting with him. He is strong and is a warrior so I thank you in advance for your prayers, good wishes and kindness on behalf of my family.

With a hopeful heart,

Nita and family

This isn’t the first time that Don has been struggling with his health this past year. In late 2007 he was taken to the hospital with a lung infection which, as of this April, he was thought to be on the mend.

Please take a moment to send your thoughts and prayers his way and don’t forget to wish him a Happy Birthday today as well! We’re all thinking about you Don, and we know you’ll pull through.

My thanks to Bob Souer for letting everyone know.

Voice Over Video Sunday

I know I’m super late to the party on this one but I just had to get this video into the archives. Back in 1997 a short film was made for the 26th Annual Hollywood Reporter Key Art Awards where the top five movie trailer voice over artists all cram into a limo and head off to the shows. First in is Don LaFontaine, then comes John Leader, Nick Tate, Mark Elliot and finally Al Chalk.

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