In a Facebook statement, his family conveyed, “It is with deep regret that we, his family, announce the passing of the man and the artist, David Lynch. We would appreciate some privacy at this time.”
They added, “There’s a big hole in the world now that he’s no longer with us. But, as he would say, ‘Keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole.’ It’s a beautiful day with golden sunshine and blue skies all the way.”
Lynch’s last feature film was “Inland Empire” in 2006, after which he directed several music videos.
In 2024, the director disclosed his diagnosis of emphysema, and during a candid interview in August of the previous year, he mentioned that his health condition confined him to working remotely.
He elaborated that the lung condition caused difficulty in breathing due to damage to the air sacs in the lungs.
Emphysema is mostly attributed to prolonged exposure to airborne irritants, such as tobacco or marijuana smoke, air pollution, chemical fumes, and dust.
Lynch mentioned that his illness was the result of “smoking for so long,” stating, “Smoking was something that I absolutely loved, but in the end, it bit me.”
He further reflected, “It was part of the art life for me: the tobacco and the smell of it, and lighting things and smoking and going back and sitting back and having a smoke and looking at your work, or thinking about things; nothing like it in this world is so beautiful.”