A cause of death has been identified for Christina Sandera. It was previously confirmed the passing of Clint Eastwood’s longtime girlfriend on July 19.
The Oscar-winning actor expressed his grief in a statement, saying, “Christina was a lovely, caring woman, and I will miss her very much.”
On Tuesday, July 23, a representative from the Monterey County Health Department informed the New York Post that Sandera, aged 61, died of a heart attack.
According to the death certificate, the immediate cause of death was cardiac arrhythmia, an irregularity in the heartbeat’s timing or pattern. Atherosclerotic coronary artery disease was listed as a contributing condition.
Director Clint Eastwood (L) and Christina Sandera attend the 87th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on February 22, 2015 in Hollywood, California.
Eastwood, 94, and Sandera began their relationship in 2014, with their first public outing captured in photos of them grocery shopping together.
Sandera frequently accompanied Eastwood to events related to his films. They made their debut appearance together at the 2015 Academy Awards, where his film “American Sniper” was nominated for six awards, including Best Picture.
In 2016, the couple attended a screening of Eastwood’s film “Sully” at the Directors Guild of America, and the following year, they were seen at the Cannes Film Festival.
Sandera also joined Eastwood and his family—including three of his children, his granddaughter, and his first wife, Maggie Johnson—at the premiere of his 2018 film “The Mule.”
Christina Sandera (L) and Clint Eastwood attend the “Sully” New York premiere at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center on September 6, 2016 in New York City.
Eastwood and Sandera, who were known for keeping their relationship private, reportedly met while Sandera was working as a hostess at Eastwood’s Mission Ranch Hotel in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California.
Eastwood has resided in the Monterey peninsula area for many years and previously served as mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea.
Despite Eastwood’s high-profile career, Sandera maintained a low-key presence. Little is known about her personal life, and she was not active on social media.
Eastwood, who also prefers to stay out of the limelight, and Sandera enjoyed a quiet life together in Carmel-by-the-Sea.
Before his relationship with Sandera, Eastwood was married twice: to model Maggie Johnson from 1953 to 1987 and to news anchor Dina Ruiz from 1996 to 2004.
He has also had several notable relationships, including with actress Frances Fisher and his “The Gauntlet” costar Sondra Locke. From these relationships, Eastwood has fathered eight children, including actor Scott Eastwood.