The Vivienne's Family Reveal Her Cause of Death

The family of "RuPaul's Drag Race UK" winner The Vivienne, who passed away in January, has revealed the entertainer's cause of death.

"James Lee Williams, better known as drag star The Vivienne, died from a cardiac arrest caused by the effects of taking ketamine, their family has said," the BBC reported.

"The performer's sister Chanel Williams said her family 'continue to be completely devastated' by the death of the 32-year-old and will be working with a substance abuse charity to raise awareness of the dangers of the drug," the BBC writeup added.

Simon Jones, the drag icon's manager, announced her passing in January with a social media post that recalled her as "an incredibly loved, warmhearted and amazing person."

"Their family are heartbroken at the loss of their son, brother and uncle," Jones' post at the time said. "They are so proud of the wonderful things James achieved in their life and career."

With the new revelation, Jones stated, "I hope by us releasing this information we can raise awareness about the dangers of ongoing ketamine usage and what it can do to your body."

"The Vivienne was praised for raising awareness of substance abuse during their time competing on series one of 'RuPaul's Drag Race UK,' where they openly discussed how they sought help for their ketamine addiction," the BBC recalled.

"The Williams family now hopes to continue this legacy by working with substance abuse charity Adferiad on a campaign aimed at opening up conversations about substance abuse and addiction."

Adferiad spokesperson Donna Chavez told the press that the organization was "incredibly grateful," the BBC relayed, and said that the Williams family's "courage in sharing James' story will help raise vital awareness of the devastating impact substance use can have."

"We are seeing a worrying rise in the number of people using ketamine, often unaware of the serious risks it poses to their physical and mental health," Chavez added.

"The performer made headlines in 2023 when they were attacked in a hate crime, saying last year that the incident has left them with 'stress, anguish and ongoing trauma,'" EDGE noted. The assailant's minimal sentence left the famed entertainer "speechless," The Vivienne said a year before her tragic death.