On Christmas Day, iconic pop star George Michael passed away unexpectedly at the age of 53.
Initially, Michael’s cause of death was reported as heart failure.
Those early reports were later confirmed by the singer’s manager, Micahel Lippman, who reported that Michael died “in bed, lying peacefully.”
He added that there was “no foul play whatsoever,” and no reason to suspect an unnatural cause such as a drug overdose.
Still, it’s uncommon for otherwise healthy and well-off men in their early fifties to be felled by heart attacks, and many believed there was more to the story that Lippman was letting on.
Today, the results of Michael’s autopsy were made public, and unfortunately, it seems we’re no closer to understanding what exactly caused the beloved entertainer to suffer a fatal cardiac event.
Authorities have officially described Michael’s death as “unexplained but not suspicious.”
They have reiterated that there appear to be no signs of an overdose, but add that they are still awaiting the results of a toxicology report.
Those closest to Michael maintain that he was sober in the years before his death.
However, they’ve also noted that he struggled with substance abuse for several years and had gained a tremendous amount of weight recently.
Michael rose to fame in the early ’80s, as part of the pop duo Wham!, which he created with friend Andrew Ridgely.
Between his time as part of the wildly popular tandem and his career as a solo artist, Michael charted 10 top ten hits, including such catchy classics as “Faith,” “I Want Your Sex,” “Father Figure,” “One More Try,” and “Careless Whisper.”
In the days since his death, fans have kept a constant vigil outside the singer’s London home.
Countless fans and celebrities have paid tribute to Michael online, most notably the singer’s longtime friend Elton John:
“I am in deep shock,” John wrote on social media alongside a photo of himself and Michael, adding:
“I have lost a beloved friend.”
“The kindest, most generous soul and a brilliant artist. My heart goes out to his family and all of his fans. #RIP.”
We will have further updates on this developing story as more information becomes available.