 On May 3, 1975, Rod Serling had a heart attack and was hospitalized. He spent two weeks at Tompkins County Community Hospital before being released. A second heart attack two weeks later forced doctors to agree that open heart surgery was required, though considered risky at the time. The 10-hour-long procedure was performed on June 26, but Serling had a third heart attack on the operating table and passed away two days later at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, New York. He was 50 years old.