Decorated Green Beret veteran Bo Gritz, whose military career helped inspire the iconic character John Rambo portrayed by Sylvester Stallone in “First Blood,” has died at age 87.
Gritz passed away Friday at his home in Sandy Valley, Nevada, according to his wife, Judy Gritz.
His Wife Confirmed the Sad News
While an official cause of death has not been publicly confirmed, she previously shared online that he had been battling cancer and facing significant health challenges in recent weeks.
“BO JUST PEACEFULLY PASSED,” Judy wrote in a heartfelt message on Facebook. “HIS COMRADES WELCOMING HIM, ‘WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG, COLONEL?’ He’s looking into the eyes of our Savior.”
Born in 1939 in Enid, Oklahoma, Gritz rose through the ranks of the U.S. Army to become a lieutenant colonel and highly decorated Special Forces officer.
His experiences during the Vietnam War era, including his reputation for daring missions, reportedly helped shape the tough, resilient persona of Stallone’s Rambo character — a pop-culture figure who became synonymous with the struggles of returning soldiers.
Beyond his military career, Gritz remained a public figure for decades.
He ran for president in 1992, hosted a radio program titled “Freedom Call,” and occasionally appeared in media interviews about his life and beliefs, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Despite the spotlight, he spent more than four decades living quietly in Sandy Valley, the place he once said he wanted to call home for the rest of his life.
Judy Revealed Gritz Wanted to Pass at Home
In February, Judy shared that he had been hospitalized and placed on a respirator for 14 days.
They had to make the decision to either perform a tracheostomy and move to a long term health center or to go home and call hospice.
“I know Bo does not want to live his remaining life with a tracteostomy and to be on a respirator the rest of his life,” she wrote. “Bo has told me several times, he has lived in Sandy Valley for over 45 years, he wants to die in Sandy Valley, and he wants to be buried in Sandy Valley.”
She heartbreaking wrote how difficult the decision was and that she trying to find comfort through her faith.
“My comfort is knowing where he will be spending eternity. To be looking in the eyes of our Lord and Savior and being told, ‘well done , you have been a faithful and loyal servant,’” she added.
Judy noted how Bo was incredibly religious and loved to read his Bible.
Tributes poured in after the news was shared. “Rest well brother, thank you for your service,” one social media user wrote.
Another added, “So sad rest in peace to a legend praying for his family and friends.”
