Kris Jenner’s Mother MJ Shannon’s Cause of Death Revealed

Weeks after Kris Jenner confirmed her mother's death, new documentation has shed light on what ultimately took her life. The revelation comes as the Kardashian-Jenner family continues to mourn the beloved matriarch.

A cause of death for Kris Jenner's mother, MJ Shannon, also known as Mary Jo Campbell, has come to light. The momager announced the matriarch's passing just weeks earlier, on July 16, 2026. She was 91.

According to a death certificate obtained by E! News, MJ's death was caused by acute cardiopulmonary arrest. She had other ongoing conditions that contributed to her death, including acute respiratory failure and metastatic lung cancer.

The Kardashian-Jenner matriarch died on July 16 in the hospital, per the certificate, just 10 days shy of her 92nd birthday. Following her mother's death, Kris shared a heartfelt tribute honoring her full life.

"Today, we said goodbye to my beautiful Mommy MJ. 😞💔 There are no words that could ever capture what she has meant to me or the heartbreak of having to say goodbye," Kris wrote, alongside a portrait of MJ beaming at the camera in a silk blouse and pearls.

"My mom was the heart of our family," she shared. "She taught me everything that truly matters… to love your family fiercely, to be kind, to show up for the people you love, and to never take a single moment together for granted. She taught us that family is everything."

"She showed us how to love unconditionally and how to find joy in the little moments," she continued. "She showed me how to face life's challenges with resilience and faith."

Turning to address the late MJ directly, Kris expressed her gratitude for every sacrifice the matriarch made, every piece of wisdom she shared, and every moment her love felt palpable.

"I will miss our daily talks, your smile, your laughter… Our hearts are broken, but we find comfort knowing that love like yours never truly leaves us. Your love will live on in our family, in our traditions, in every moment we are together, and in every life you touched," Kris wrote.

She went on to add, "My heart is broken into a million pieces… thank you for giving me the greatest childhood and oh what a beautiful blessed life… I love you forever Mommy. Thank you for giving us everything. ❤️."

The comments section quickly filled with messages of support from fans and industry peers alike.

"Thinking of sweet MJ. She will be deeply missed 🙏🏼❤️," Kris's son-in-law Travis Barker penned. "Im so sorry…praying for you & the family. Wrapping you in love and prayers. Love you so much ❤️," added La La Anthony.

Christina Knowles shared, "So sorry for your loss iI know you and your mom were so close❤️," while Viola Davis simply wrote, "So very sorry.❤️" Jay Shetty also commented, "So so sorry for your loss. Sending so much love to you and the family 🙏🙏🙏."

Over the weekend, Kris posthumously marked what would have been MJ's 92nd birthday. Alongside a carousel of photos from her previous birthday celebrations, she wrote, "Happy Heavenly Birthday Mommy. I love you."

MJ was born in 1934 and, over the years, became a familiar face on the family's long-running reality series "Keeping Up with the Kardashians." The great-grandmother had two children, Kris and her late sister, Karen Houghton, who died of cardiac arrest in March 2024 at age 65.