More than half a century after his sudden passing, the death of martial arts icon Bruce Lee remains one of the most debated cold cases in pop culture history. While the official verdict points to a reaction to medication, modern medical research has recently offered a startling new theory: that the man who famously said “Be water, my friend” may have been killed by it.

Here is the complete timeline of how the Dragon died, from the official police report to the latest scientific analysis in 2025.

The Final Day: July 20, 1973

On the day of his death, the 32-year-old star was in Hong Kong, reportedly discussing the script for his upcoming movie Game of Death.

• 4:00 PM: Lee met with producer Raymond Chow at the apartment of Taiwanese actress Betty Ting Pei to discuss the film.
• 7:30 PM: Lee complained of a severe headache. Ting Pei gave him Equagesic, a prescription painkiller containing aspirin and a muscle relaxant (meprobamate).
• 7:45 PM: Lee went to lie down for a nap.
• 9:30 PM: When Lee did not wake up for a scheduled dinner, Ting Pei tried to rouse him but failed. She called Raymond Chow, who also could not wake him.
• 10:15 PM: A doctor was summoned and attempted to revive Lee, but he was unresponsive. He was rushed to Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
• 11:30 PM: Bruce Lee was officially pronounced dead.

The Official Verdict: “Death by Misadventure”

The official coroner’s report ruled the death as “death by misadventure.” The autopsy revealed severe cerebral edema (swelling of the brain). His brain had swollen from 1,400 grams to 1,575 grams (an increase of roughly 13%).

Doctors at the time concluded this was caused by a severe allergic reaction (hypersensitivity) to the meprobamate in the Equagesic pill he had taken earlier.

The New Theory: Did Water Kill the Dragon?

In 2022, a team of kidney specialists published a groundbreaking study in the Clinical Kidney Journal proposing a different cause. They suggested Lee died of hyponatremia—a condition where the blood’s sodium level drops dangerously low due to excess water intake.

The study noted that Lee had multiple risk factors:

• He was on a “fluid-based diet” (mostly juices) at the time.
• He had reportedly removed the sweat glands from his armpits to look better on camera, reducing his body’s ability to dissipate heat.
• Recent cannabis use may have increased thirst.

The researchers argued that Lee’s kidneys could not excrete the excess water fast enough, leading to the brain swelling that killed him. “In other words,” the study concluded, “we propose that the kidney’s inability to excrete excess water killed Bruce Lee”.

Conspiracy Theories & Myths

Because Lee was a young, physically fit man, his sudden death spawned numerous theories ranging from the plausible to the supernatural:

• Heatstroke: Biographer Matthew Polly theorized that Lee died of heatstroke. July 20, 1973, was one of the hottest days of the year in Hong Kong, and Lee had suffered a similar collapse due to heat exhaustion just two months prior.
• The “Triad” Curse: Conspiracy theorists have long alleged that Lee was assassinated by Chinese organized crime syndicates (Triads) for refusing to pay protection money, though no evidence has ever supported this.
• The Family Curse: After Lee’s son, Brandon Lee, died in a tragic on-set accident in 1993, rumors of a “family curse” haunting the Lee men became part of Hollywood urban legend.

Conclusion

While the debate continues, the medical consensus is that Bruce Lee died from brain swelling—whether caused by a tiny painkiller pill, extreme heat, or kidney failure due to excess water. He was buried in Lake View Cemetery in Seattle, leaving behind a legacy that has far outlived the mystery of his final hours.