Someone on The Simpsons will die in the season 26 premiere and it could be Homer Simpson, who has a newly-diagnosed sleep disorder. With a portly build and a large neck circumference, television’s most famous cartoon dad has long fit the profile of a person at-risk for sleep apnea.
The teaser (see below) for the fateful episode shows Homer not only has sleep apnea, but an extremely severe case. Worse yet, he does not appear to be adherent to his CPAP treatment. It’s been well documented that untreated sleep apnea is associated with mortality, since the disease can lead to heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
This clip is likely a bit of misdirection. Since the title of the episode was revealed to be “Clown in the Dumps,” my bet is that Krusty the Clown’s father, Rabbi Hyman Krustofski, will not survive.
If this is the case, instead of dying Homer Simpson will join Shaquille O’Neil, Rosie O’Donnell and Regis Philbin on the list of celebrities who use CPAP to manage their sleep apnea. If Homer can stick to his treatment, he can live a normal, healthy life.
Sleep apnea is serious health problem that is manageable with the help of a board certified sleep physician. Patients who adhere to their CPAP treatment minimize their health risks and have an improved quality of life.