Rauschenberg died on May 12, 2008, on Captiva Island, Florida.[20] He died of heart failure after a personal decision to go off life support.[21][22] Rauschenberg is survived by his partner of 25 years, artist Darryl Pottorf,[22] his former assistant.[15] Rauschenberg is also survived by his son, photographer Christopher Rauschenberg, and his sister, Janet Begneaud.