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Christopher Boykin a.k.a. Big Black's ex-wife, Shannon Turley, revealed that the ex "Rob & Big" star, who passed away on Tuesday, May 9, suffered from heart disease and needed heart transplant before his death. He spent his last days at the hospital after his condition worsened.

"He's had a defibrillator in his chest for over 10 years," Shannon told Entertainment Tonight. "No one would know. It’s been hard. The past year, he's been in and out of the hospital a few times."

Shannon revealed that the doctors had been telling Chris he would need a heart transplant "for the past year or two," but the reality TV star wasn't ready for surgery. "He was just tired," she said. "He did what he could."

When the hospital informed that the 45-year-old entertainer's condition was critical, Shannon and their 9-year-old daughter Isis tried to see him immediately. "We were trying to make it there and we were about twenty minutes away, and right when we got there, it was too late," Shannon recalled. "It was tough. We were right there."

Isis had a hard time accepting the reality. "She's just having a hard time trying to figure out what exactly is going on. [But] she has a lot of family around her right now. A lot of love," she explained, before adding, "[Chris] was a great father. That was the best thing about him. He worked his a** off. Nothing was handed to him."

Chris' family isn't the only one mourning. His best friend and fellow "Rob & Big" alum, Rob Dyrdek, took to Twitter a few hours after his death to express his grief. "My heart is broken. I don't want write this post. I don't want to believe that this is reality. I am so thankful for you," he wrote.

My heart is broken. I don't want write this post. I don't want to believe that this is reality. I am so thankful for you. pic.twitter.com/Atp5EE3jX6

— Rob Dyrdek (@robdyrdek) 10 May 2017