Fact Check: Henry 'The Fonz' Winkler Did NOT Die At Age 74 After Secret Battle With Guillain-Barré Syndrome

Fact Check

  • by: Alan Duke
Fact Check: Henry 'The Fonz' Winkler Did NOT Die At Age 74 After Secret Battle With Guillain-Barré Syndrome He's Alive

Did actor Henry Winkler, best known as "The Fonz" on the 1970s TV sitcom "Happy Days," die in October 2020 after a secret battle with Guillain-Barré syndrome? No, that's not true: Winkler has survived numerous fake death reports, including this one. It was published by a website that claims to have been "voted best satire site on the planet," but if this claim is intended to be funny, the voting might have been fixed. Winkler, who is funny, is still alive.

The claim originated in an article published by RINGSSSSS.com on October 25, 2020 titled "Henry 'The Fonz' Winkler, Dies At Age 74 After Secret Battle With Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS)" (archived here), which opened:

Los Angeles, CA- Early Sunday morning Henry Franklin Winkler passed away from pneumonia exacerbated by his diagnosis of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS). Winkler rose to fame as Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli on the hit TV show Happy Days in the 70's and 80's. Winkler had steadily been working in Hollywood up until his death. He was a respected actor and a joy to work worth, according to insiders. There is no known cause of GBS (Guillain-Barré Syndrome), but there have been links to digestive track infections days or weeks prior to the onset of GBS. Winkler had been to see Dr. Gregory House the week prior to his passing for abdominal pain and was told to relax and lay off "spicy foods".

Users on social media only saw this title, description and thumbnail:

Henry "The Fonz" Winkler, Dies At Age 74 After Secret Battle With Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS).

Los Angeles, CA- Early Sunday morning Henry Franklin Winkler Lead passed away from pneumonia exacerbated by his diagnosis of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS). Winkler rose to fame as Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli on the hit TV show Happy Days in the 70's and 80's. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Winkler had steadily been working in Hollywood up until...

Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare disorder in which your body's immune system attacks your nerves, is rarely fatal, according to the Mayo Clinic:

There's no known cure for Guillain-Barre syndrome, but several treatments can ease symptoms and reduce the duration of the illness. Although most people recover from Guillain-Barre syndrome, the mortality rate is 4% to 7%. Between 60-80% of people are able to walk at six months. Patients may experience lingering effects from it, such as weakness, numbness or fatigue.

Lead Stories has debunked previous fake death reports about Winkler, the latest titled Fake News: Henry Winkler NOT Dead at 77 - NOT A Huge Trump Supporter and Lifelong Gun Lover

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  Alan Duke

Editor-in-Chief Alan Duke co-founded Lead Stories after ending a 26-year career with CNN, where he mainly covered entertainment, current affairs and politics. Duke closely covered domestic terrorism cases for CNN, including the Oklahoma City federal building bombing, the UNABOMBER and search for Southeast bomber Eric Robert Rudolph. CNN moved Duke to Los Angeles in 2009 to cover the entertainment beat. Duke also co-hosted a daily podcast with former HLN host Nancy Grace, "Crime Stories with Nancy Grace" and hosted the podcast series "Stan Lee's World: His Real Life Battle with Heroes & Villains." You'll also see Duke in many news documentaries, including on the Reelz channel, CNN and HLN.

Read more about or contact Alan Duke

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