Summer died on May 17, 2012 at her home in Naples, Florida, aged 63, from lung cancer. A nonsmoker, Summer theorized that her cancer was caused by inhaling toxic fumes and dust from the September 11 attacks in New York City; she was in her apartment near Ground Zero when the attacks occurred. However some reports have instead attributed the cancer to Summer’s smoking during her younger years, her continued exposure to second-hand smoking while performing in clubs well after she had quit, and a predisposition to this disease in the family. Summer was survived by her husband, Bruce Sudano, and her three daughters.
Following Jenny in Ginza, with Elaiza Ikeda, Pierre Taki, Natsuki Kawamura, and Angela Mei watches Autopsy: The Last Hours of Donna Summer, she died at lung cancer, she was 63 years old, after her battle of undetermined causes of her death, Summer’s funeral service was held in Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee, on the afternoon of May 23, 2012.