O.J. Simpson’s Former Manager Norman Pardo Says He Wanted His Life to End a ‘Long Time Ago’

O.J. Simpson wanted his life to end “a long time ago, ” his former manager, Norman Pardo, tells In Touch exclusively just hours after the news of his death broke on Thursday, April 11.

“It’s a sad day, but at the same time, it’s probably better where he’s at, because now he can rest in peace. He was sick for a long time,” Norman explains of O.J., who died from prostate cancer at the age of 76 on Wednesday April 10. He worked with O.J. for more than two decades.

“It’s sad it’s ending without a finale, because people don’t know what really happened. I think he wanted to end it a long time ago, but It wasn’t a good way to die,” he continues.

O.J.’s family revealed his passing in a Thursday, April 11, post on X, where the former Buffalo Bills star loved to discuss football and other current events in videos.

“On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren,” the statement read. “During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace,” it continued, signed by “The Simpson Family.”

O.J. left behind two children, Arnelle and Jason, whom he shared with first wife, Marguerite Whitley. He had two more kids, Sydney and Justin, with late wife Nicole Brown Simpson, whom he was acquitted of murdering in 1995.

In a May 2023 video posted to X, O.J. briefly mentioned that he had “caught” cancer and underwent chemotherapy, although he didn’t specify what form of the disease he had and that he had completed his treatment.

In February 2024, when reports surfaced that he was receiving end of life hospice care, O.J. took to X to claim it was false. “Hey, X world! Hospice? Hospice? You talking about hospice? No, I’m not in any hospice. I don’t know who put that out there,” he said, adding, “You can’t trust the media.” O.J. shared how he was getting ready to watch Super Bowl LVIII a few days later, adding, “All is well.”

O.J. went on trial for Nicole’s 1994 murder, along with that of her friend, Ron Goldman, in January 1995. A jury acquitted him of the slayings in October 1995, although a civil jury later found him responsible for their deaths in 1997.

O.J. went on trial again in 2007 for armed robbery, assault and other charges after trying to get allegedly stolen memorabilia back from a sports dealer in Las Vegas. He was found guilty in 2008 on all 12 charges and sentenced to 33 years in prison with the possibility of parole after nine years. O.J. walked free from Lovelock Correctional Center in Northern Nevada in 2017, after a parole board granted him early release.

The former Heisman Trophy winner lived in Las Vegas in the years following his prison release through his death.