John Ritter's Wife Amy Reveals Why She Still Talks To Late Actor Decades After His Death, 'Check In'

'Three's Company' actor John Ritter's wife, Amy Yasbeck, explained how she continues to talk to him even though he passed away nearly 20 years ago.

John Ritter was best known for his role in Three’s Company. The actor left his fans and loved ones heartbroken when he unexpectedly passed away in September 2003. He was 54 years old at the time of his death. In his personal life, John was married to Amy Yasbeck. Now, almost two decades after his death, Amy got candid about her relationship with the late actor, claiming that she still talks to John.

John Ritter’s wife, Amy Yasbeck, explains why she still talks to her late husband

Amy Yasbeck recently attended the 50th Anniversary of the iconic sitcom Three’s Company, An Evening From the Heart in New York City. At the event, the Problem Child actress spoke about her late husband, John Ritter, and claimed, “I still talk to John. I check in all the time…I talk to him every day.”

Her interview quickly went viral as people wondered how Amy talked to John, who has been dead for nearly 20 years. Later in the event, which was hosted by the John Ritter Foundation for Aortic Health, Amy clarified to PEOPLE what she really meant. She said that even though she talked to John, it's not like he talked back. She added:

“I don’t want people to get the wrong idea. When somebody passes away — my dad passed away when I was 19 — and when they’re in your heart, you check in with them. You knock on that door when you need.”

During the same interview, Amy also spoke about what she could always count on John for. The actress recalled what John would always tell her as well. She said:

“John used to say all the time when stuff would happen, ‘Can I get a witness?’ Sometimes when you’re alone, and something crazy happens, or a memory comes up, you want a witness. So that person that you’ve lost stands beside you.”

Amy Yasbeck revealed John Ritter was misdiagnosed before his death

For those unaware, John Ritter passed away after suffering an acute aortic dissection, a tear in the inner layer of the aorta, which is the largest artery in the body and is responsible for delivering blood away from the heart. In a chat with Fox News Digital on September 17, 2026, the day that would have been John’s 78th birthday, Amy got into the details about the actor's death.

Amy claimed that at the time, John was mistakenly treated for a heart attack when he was taken to the hospital. She accused the medical staff of not performing any imaging, but since John looked about the right age and weight to have a heart attack, they gave him “blood thinners and stuff.”

According to her, everything that the medical staff did to save John Ritter on the night he died had the opposite effect. Amy explained that once the aorta starts dissecting, people usually have a better chance of surviving if they get proper treatment in time. She shared:

"And this is sad because it was the opposite. It wasn't a block in his heart; it was a tear in his aorta, so everything they did that night led to what eventually happened. Because there are ways; once it starts dissecting, if you get to the hospital in time, your chances are way better of living."

Amy now believes that John’s experience and story act as an example among many medical professionals. For example, she said that when she went to accompany a friend who was experiencing chest pain to a hospital, she heard the staff saying her friend needed to get a CT scan for “the John Ritter thing.” She clarified that they had no idea she was John’s wife.

What are your thoughts on Amy Yasbeck’s statements? Let us know.

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