Charlie Trotter's Widow Releases Statement Addressing 'Inaccuracies' In Reporting His Death

By Chuck Sudo in News on Nov 8, 2013 9:20PM

The widow of chef Charlie Trotter released a statement Friday intended, she said, to address “inaccuracies” in the reporting of his death earlier this week.

Rochelle Trotter said in the statement her husband was “seen by a number of medical experts who cleared him to travel” to a culinary conference last weekend in Wyoming and that he returned home Monday “without incident.” Trotter was found dead in his home Tuesday. Sun-Times gossip columnist Michael Sneed reported the chef suffered a stroke in January and another after he returned from the Wyoming conference; the second stroke, Sneed wrote, was what killed him.

Rochelle Trotter acknowledged in her statement her husband “was treated for a seizure as a result of an aneurysm which was discovered at that time. His doctors prescribed the proper medication to control seizures, his blood pressure and high cholesterol.”

A police report filed in Trotter’s death, however, reads, "He recently flew to Wyoming against doctor’s advice. The wife states he has been drinking as well.” The Tribune also reported Larry Stone, Trotter’s longtime friend and sommelier, was told by Trotter about the aneurysm and “had been told by doctors that he should not be flying, should not be at high altitudes and should not exert himself because of the resulting pressure on his brain.”

The report also reads that Rochelle Trotter told police her husband had been drinking. An autopsy by the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled out foul play and further tests, including toxicology reports, will be available in six to eight weeks.

“This is obviously a difficult time as we are still processing our grief,” Rochelle Trotter said in the statement. “We ask for your patience and continued respect of our privacy.” A memorial service is scheduled for 10 a.m. Monday at Fourth Presbyterian Church.

The full statement is below.

“In January Charlie was treated for a seizure as a result of an aneurysm which was discovered at that time. His doctors prescribed the proper medication to control seizures, his blood pressure and high cholesterol and he was seen by a number of medical experts who cleared him to travel. He returned home from his most recent trip Monday night without incident. The autopsy indicates that his travel is not connected to his death.

This is obviously a difficult time as we are still processing our grief. As his family and I focus upon putting Charlie’s body to rest, we hope that this will settle the inaccuracies that have been reported and we can move forward in honoring Charlie’s life on Monday. We ask for your patience and continued respect of our privacy. ” - Rochelle Trotter