Legendary singer Tom Petty, who unexpectedly died at his home in California last year, passed away from an accidental drug overdose, his family revealed on Friday, adding that he was suffering from a number of serious ailments.
A joint statement from Petty’s wife and daughter said they had been notified by the coroner’s office that the singer died from an accidental drug overdose caused by a variety of medications, including the powerful painkiller fentanyl.
Petty was suffering from a number of ailments, including the lung disease emphysema, knee problems and, most significantly, a fractured hip. His family said Petty had insisted on continuing with his tour and, as a result, the injury to his hip worsened.
Petty died on October 2, just hours after he was informed that his fractured hip had become a full on break after 53 shows. “It is our feeling that the pain was simply unbearable and was the cause for his over use of medication,” his family said, adding that Petty had wanted to keep his commitment to his fans.
“On a positive note we now know for certain he went painlessly and beautifully exhausted after doing what he loved the most, for one last time, performing live with his unmatchable rock band for his loyal fans on the biggest tour of his 40 plus year career,” the family said. “He was extremely proud of that achievement in the days before he passed.”
Petty was well-known as the lead singer of “Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers” and as a member of the 1980s supergroup the “Traveling Wilburys.” He scored a number of hits throughout his career and sold more than 80 million records, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time.
Petty was found unconscious and not breathing at his home in Malibu on the evening of October 2. CPR was performed and he was rushed to an area hospital, where doctors determined that Petty was brain dead. He passed away at 8:40 p.m. on October 3 while surrounded by his family, bandmates, and friends.
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