O.J. Simpson died aged 76
O.J. Simpson was one of America's most polarizing and controversial figures, and the news of his death sparked a number of conversations across the country.
The announcement came from his family, which read: "On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren."
"During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace. -The Simpson Family".
Arnelle Simpson, 55
O.J.'s oldest daughter was born December 4, 1968 when the football star was 21 years old and married to his first wife, Marguerite Whitley. She has remained a vocal supporter for her father over the years.
Arnelle testified as a defense witness during the 1994 trial where O.J. was accused of murdering Nicole Brown. She reportedly said her father was "emotional" and "distraught" when he learned of his second wife's death.
She spoke during his 2017 parole hearing, following his jail sentence for armed robbery in 2007, asking for his release so their family could "move forward", calling him her "best friend" according to CBS.
Jason Simpson, 53
Jason was born in 1970 to Marguerite and O.J. As the football star's oldest son he remained by his father's side throughout his career, including when his father was inducted into the Buffalo Bills' Wall of Fame in 1980.
The star has remained out of the public eye since his father's trial, working as a chef in the Atlanta restaurant St. Cecilia, according to reports from 2016. But he took a rare moment to speak out about his polarizing father in 2021 on the Food That Binds podcast.
"There was a time when my dad was famous, and there was a time when he was infamous", he said. "And I know that when he was famous, I didn't want him around then because I didn't want him to take away from something I took very serious, which was cooking."
He added: "Sometimes, people are aggressive and sometimes people want to find out what’s going on with you, and they don’t, often they don’t have the best intentions. They don't care if you have a job with supportive people who care about you and think the world of you, because there’s nothing that doesn’t sell."
Aaren Simpson, 1
Aaren was the third child of Marguerite and O.J., born in 1977. Yet just shy of turning two years old, the little one tragically passed away in the pool.
The football star rarely discussed the incident in public, only saying to Katie Couric in 2004: "I mean, I never have. You know, I don't want to discuss it."
"It's sad that it happened. It was a tremendous loss. We dealt with it. We moved on."
Sydney Brooke Simpson, 38
Nicole and O.J. had their first child, Sydney, on October 17, 1985. She was only eight when her mom died, so her aunt Tanya Brown - Nicole's sister - helped raise her afterwards.
In 2000, six years after the death of their mom, Sydney and Justin moved to Florida and they have since lived private lives. O.J. said of Sydney in 2004: "My daughter just graduated this past week and got accepted to a very fine — a Northeastern school."
Sydney reportedly got a degree in sociology from Boston University in 2010, and as of 2016 she works in real estate according to the Tampa Bay Times.
Justin Ryan Simpson, 35
O.J.'s youngest child Justin was born August 6, 1988. Justin was just five years old when his mom Nicole was murdered.
According to his father, Justin became introspective following the death of his mom. O.J. said: "He's a remarkable kid in that even when he's got other things on his mind, he has a tendency to turn it inward."
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But he seemed to take after his father in his love of sport: "He's taller than I am. And he is - I've often said he's the finest kid I've ever known. He really is. He's well liked, he participates at his school in all sports: lacross, basketball, football."
Since then, Justin has led a low profile life like his sister, working as a real estate agent. He is based in St. Petersburg, Florida. As of February 2022, Justin is a father to a little girl called Lana.
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