George Michael was 53 years old when he was found dead at his home in Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, on Christmas Day, December 25, 2016. A post-mortem revealed he died of natural causes, specifically cardiomyopathy with myocarditis and a fatty liver.
George Michael was found dead in his bed on Christmas morning 2016 at his home in Goring-on-Thames by his then-partner, Fadi Fawaz, who called emergency services after finding him unresponsive, cold, and blue, with the cause later determined to be natural causes (heart disease and fatty liver).
How old would George Michael be now if he was still alive?
Remembering George Michael on His Birthday Born on June 25, 1963, George Michael would have turned 62 years timeless in 2025. Though he left us in 2016, his voice, artistry, and compassion live on. From Careless Whisper to Faith, his music broke boundaries, moved hearts, and defined an era.
Michael came out as gay in 1998, and was an active LGBTQ rights campaigner and HIV/AIDS charity fundraiser. His personal life, drug use, and legal troubles made headlines following an arrest for public lewdness in 1998 and multiple drug-related offences.
George Michael had fatty liver disease, a buildup of fat in the liver, cited in his coroner's report as a contributing factor to his death, likely linked to his well-documented struggles with heavy alcohol use, though it could also stem from obesity or diet, with the coroner not specifying the exact cause. This condition, which can be alcoholic (ALD) or non-alcoholic (NAFLD), involves fat accumulation that can progress to inflammation and scarring, and his liver issues were listed alongside heart conditions like dilated cardiomyopathy.
George Michael's True Cause of Death Revealed After Years
What are the three signs of a fatty liver?
a dull or aching pain in the top right of the tummy (over the lower right side of the ribs) fatigue (extreme tiredness) unexplained weight loss. weakness.
What is the life expectancy of a person with a fatty liver?
Life expectancy with fatty liver disease (MASLD/NAFLD) varies greatly: often normal with early management (weight loss, diet, exercise) but significantly reduced if it progresses to advanced scarring (cirrhosis), potentially cutting years off life, especially with complications, though early diagnosis of cirrhosis offers 10-15 years, while severe complications can drop it to 3-5 years without transplant. Overall, studies suggest an average reduction of around 2.8 years, particularly for those diagnosed in middle age (40-60), largely due to increased cardiovascular risk.
George Michael's widely reported "last words" were to his fans: "Thank you, London, we love you. See you soon," spoken at the end of his final concert in 2012, though he was working on his life story documentary, Freedom Uncut, just before his death, which shared his final reflections on love, loss, and his struggles. No one knows his very last words before he died on Christmas Day 2016, as he was alone, but his posthumous documentary revealed his deep feelings about his darkest times.
In 1990, Frank Sinatra wrote an open letter to the Los Angeles Times admonishing George Michael for complaining about fame, telling him to "Loosen up. Swing, man," and emphasizing that "Talent must not be wasted," urging him to embrace his success rather than shy away from the spotlight. Sinatra found Michael's desire to reduce his celebrity status baffling, contrasting it with his own journey and advising Michael to be grateful for the opportunities fame brought, because "Those who have it must hug it, embrace it, nurture it and share it lest it be taken away".
But in a long career and at times turbulent private life, the singer had already survived more than one brush with death, as well as enduring depression, bereavement, paralysing grief, legal battles with his record company, public embarrassment, several encounters with police and a long and unhappy period where he felt ...
Why did it take so long for George Michael to be buried?
Preparations for George Michael's funeral were held back for over two months until post-mortem tests were carried out on the singer, who was found dead in his Oxfordshire home on Christmas Day. They revealed that the Careless Whisper singer, 53, died from natural causes.
What is myocarditis? Myocarditis occurs when the heart muscle (myocardium) becomes inflamed. Inflammation occurs when your body's immune system responds to infections, for example. Myocarditis can be caused by viral infections or more systemic inflammatory conditions such as autoimmune disorders.
George Michael left the bulk of his fortune to his sisters, Yioda and Melanie, along with his father, close friends, and godchildren, while leaving nothing to his then-partner Fadi Fawaz, leading to a legal settlement with ex-partner Kenny Goss, who received a portion after a claim. His sister Yioda became executor, deciding how to distribute funds to friends and charities like ChildLine, Terrence Higgins Trust, and Macmillan Cancer Support, as well as giving his father use of a horse stud farm.
Yes, George Michael was in a relationship with hairstylist Fadi Fawaz at the time of his death on Christmas Day 2016, with Fawaz being the one who discovered his body in his bed, though their relationship was facing challenges and Fawaz was not named in the will.
Paul McCartney praised George Michael's "sweet soul music" and "great talent" after his death, highlighting their collaboration on "Heal the Pain" and performances like Live 8, noting Michael's "self-deprecating sense of humor" and wishing him peace and freedom from suffering, a sentiment shared after his passing in 2016. McCartney empathized with Michael's struggles, even sending him a letter while Michael was in jail for drug offenses in 2010, showing a supportive, familial bond.
What were Frank Sinatra's last words before dying?
Frank Sinatra's reported last words were a simple, poignant, "I'm losing," spoken to his wife Barbara while in a Los Angeles hospital shortly before he died from complications of a heart attack on May 14, 1998. He was in poor health and facing the end, and his weak voice expressed his awareness of his failing condition, a moment witnessed by his wife and friend.
At the time of his death, George Michael was romantically linked to celebrity hairstylist Fadi Fawaz. Fawaz discovered Michael's lifeless body at his country home in Goring-On-Thames on Christmas Day 2016. In the following days, Fawaz tweeted a number of tributes to his late boyfriend.
Cirrhosis is severe liver scarring. If MASH progresses, it can lead to cirrhosis. Life expectancy with early-stage cirrhosis can be as long as 15 years, but in more advanced stages, it may drop to 7 years or less.
