A look back at the comedian’s final moments

Even after his death, John Candy is remembered for his kindness and generosity.

The prolific comedian and star of such classic films as “Stripes,” “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” “Spaceballs and Planes,” and “Trains and Automobiles” died of a heart attack in March 1994. More than 30 years after her death, Candy is fondly remembered for her fun-loving attitude and willingness to help others.

Prime Video’s documentary John Candy: I ​​Like Me, which premiered on October 10, is a touching tribute to Candy, directed by Ryan Reynolds, produced by Colin Hanks, and co-executive produced by Candy’s wife Rosemary Margaret Hover and children Jennifer and Christopher.

Hanks opened up to PEOPLE in September 2024 about the documentary and what made Candy so “special.”

“He made you feel really special. He made you feel heard. That’s a special thing for a little kid to feel like he actually matters and his opinion matters,” the actor said.

Here’s everything you need to know about John Candy’s death and the comedian’s legacy.

How did John Candy die?

Candy died of a heart attack while filming the movie Wagons East in Durango, Mexico.

After filming for the day, the actor relaxed with the cast and crew before heading to bed. Unfortunately, early the next morning, Candy suffered a heart attack in her sleep and passed away suddenly.

As revealed in John Candy: I ​​Like Me, he has struggled with anxiety and chronic panic attacks for most of his life. His friends and family were concerned about his weight and heart health.

Candy’s son Christopher wrote in an essay for the Toronto Star about how his father’s difficult childhood was “expressed in his body and mind.”

Christopher added: “He cared about everyone else before he cared about himself.”

When did John Candy die?

Candy passed away on March 4, 1994 at approximately 6 a.m.

The day before, he had finished filming some of the final scenes for the movie Wagons East in Mexico. Candy had been on set since January of that year, but on this day, Candy gave one of the best performances of his career, as the cast and crew agreed.

After cooking a spaghetti dinner for her assistants, Candy called her co-stars Richard Lewis and Robert Picard just after midnight to thank them for their day on set.

“He was like a kid who had a great day at camp. He wanted to thank us,” Picardo tells PEOPLE.

After the conversation, Candy fell asleep and suffered a heart attack around 6 a.m., dying in his sleep.

The next morning, the producer informed the staff of Candy’s death. Lewis and Picard break down in tears, and Candy’s family is shocked.

Frank Hover, brother of Candy’s wife Rosemary, told PEOPLE in 2024: “None of us believed it would happen. The whole family was thrown into turmoil.”

Where did John Candy die?

According to the New York Times, Candy died at her home near Durango, Mexico, where she lived while filming the movie “Wagons East.”

How old was John Candy when he died?

Candy was 43 years old at the time of her death.

What achievements did John Candy make?

Candy’s death deeply affected many people, and the popular comedian left a mark on the public and fellow actors.

He is well remembered for his compassion and kind-hearted spirit, as well as his comedic talents both in acting and in life. After his death, he was deeply saddened, and 30 years later, his friends and co-stars still talk about the impact he had on them.

“John’s comedy lives on, but my memories of him have the words ‘kindness’ and ‘kindness’ in the headlines,” Candy’s Plains Trains and Automobiles co-star Steve Martin told PEOPLE on the 30th anniversary of his death in March 2024.

Candy’s Home Alone co-star and friend Catherine O’Hara (who also gave Candy’s eulogy at his funeral) told PEOPLE that he always made people feel special.

“You’d be on the street or in the mall with him and someone would come up and want to do a little comedy with him, and he would always sense that right away and give something back and you’d see their eyes light up and be like, ‘Oh, we’re doing a little comedy with John Candy,'” O’Hara said.

At 90s Con in March 2025, Candy’s co-stars from the comedy film Cool Runnings, in which a former Olympian plays the role of a former Olympian coaching a four-man Jamaican bobsled team, shared their memories of Candy.

Malik Yoba called Candy “a kind person, a beautiful person, a generous person, and a wonderful person to be around,” while Laure D. Lewis said Candy was “very kind.”

She added, “I was expecting to meet a movie star, but I just met a person. His pathos, his heart, I think he was a truly wonderful person.”

According to the New York Times, Candy, who co-owned the Canadian Football League’s Toronto Argonauts with Wayne Gretzky, was honored by having his initials embroidered on the team’s uniforms during the 1994-1995 season.

What books and documentaries have been made about John Candy?

Multiple documentaries and books have been made about Candy and his career and accomplishments.

The 2025 biography John Candy: A Life in Comedy, written by Canadian journalist Paul Myers, chronicled Candy’s life and career, and the 2025 documentary John Candy: I ​​Like Me paid tribute to Candy.

Candy’s children, Jennifer and Christopher, co-executive produced John Candy: I ​​Like Me with their mother. Christopher has said that the experience of working on the documentary brought him closer to his father, and Jennifer told PEOPLE in September 2024 that working on the documentary was “emotional and cathartic.”

In an essay for the Toronto Star, Christopher wrote that he realized he and Candy had “a lot in common.”

“This was a strange and unique experience that taught me that there is not only genetic inheritance from parents, but also psychological inheritance, and that growing up in this life is a never-ending process,” he wrote. “While my father was away, I always looked forward to his guidance. In a way, it felt like my wish had come true.”