Pro-Trump commentator Diamond’s cause of death revealed

Lynette “Diamond” Hardaway, one half of right-wing commentator duo Diamond and Silk, died of heart disease caused by chronic high blood pressure, according to a death certificate obtained by The Associated Press.

Hardaway died on January 8 at the age of 51, prompting widespread speculation as to the cause of death. When former President Donald Trump announced the news, he said it was “completely unexpected” and suggested that “probably her great and precious HEART just failed.”

Hardaway and her sister, Rochelle “Silk” Richardson, rose to fame for their passionate support of the former president during the 2016 presidential campaign. After speaking at several Trump rallies and growing their following online, the sisters ended up on Fox News, which they lost in 2020 after spreading false claims about COVID-19.

In light of Hardaway’s denial of COVID-19 vaccines, many social media users cited unverified online reports and suggested her death was linked to the virus. According to the death certificate provided to AP by the Hoke County Register of Deeds, that was not the case.

At a memorial service Saturday in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Richardson suggested without evidence that the COVID-19 vaccine may have been responsible for her sister’s death.

“Don’t you dare call me a conspiracy theorist for seeing it,” she said after describing how Hardaway died. According to Richardson, Hardaway suddenly said “I can’t breathe” after returning from a birthday party at her home in North Carolina. She recalled resuscitating her sister while they were waiting for ambulance.

“I saw it happen,” Richardson continued. “I was there when it happened and it happened suddenly. I want America to wake up and be careful. There is something wrong. It’s time to examine what’s really going on here and provide some answers as to why people are suddenly dropping dead.”