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Loading ...Autopsy: Boyzone singer died of natural causes
10.13.2009 12:43pm EDT
(Madrid) Boyzone star Stephen Gately, whose body was found in a house on the Spanish resort island of Mallorca, died of natural causes, according to autopsy results released Tuesday.
A post-mortem showed Gately, 33, an Irishman, died as a result of a pulmonary edema, or fluid in the lungs, the Balearic Islands Superior Justice Tribunal said in a statement.“The signer of the British group Boyzone died from natural causes, owing to an ‘acute pulmonary edema’,” the court statement said.
“The autopsy carried out this morning showed there were no signs of violence to the body,” it said, adding that Gately’s remains could now be flown home.
Gately was found dead on Saturday in a house near Port d’Andratx on the western tip of Mallorca. The singer had gone to Mallorca with his partner Andrew Cowles. The two were wed in a civil union in 2006.
The court said tissue samples from the singer’s body would be sent to a laboratory in Barcelona for further analysis, and that unless information contradicting the autopsy result emerged, the investigation would be closed.
The court said Cowles gave a statement at the court in the Mallorca capital of Palma on Tuesday. Other witnesses were also expected to give statements.
Spanish news reports said the two had been out drinking and that the singer had later choked on his own vomit.
Spanish police said they were called to the scene on Saturday afternoon.
The house, situated on an exclusive tree-lined seafront street, overlooks a rocky bay reputed to have some of the best sunset views on Spain’s favorite holiday island.
The four other members of the band flew to Mallorca following news of the death.
Boyzone was one of the biggest acts to come out of Ireland in the 1990s. The group was a major hitmaker in Britain and Ireland in the 1990s and announced a comeback tour at the end of last year.
Gately also released several solo singles and appeared in stage musicals. He made headlines when he announced he was gay a decade ago.
News of his death shocked the British and Irish pop world.
Elton John said Sunday that he and his partner, David Furnish, were “stunned by this tragedy.”
I know next to nothing about this guy, aside from what I’ve seen here and there on BBC’s website. His death is a loss on several levels. If he aspirated, that’s not dishonrable, it’s unfortunate that nobody was there to check it. Anybody ever had–even once–a time where you drank and you couldn’t remember everything? Anybody had–even once–a time when you fell asleep in front of TV, then were jolted awake ’cause you had saliva running down your windpipe?
There are so many people ready to remember him with love. Isn’t that right and appropriate? If Stephen’s death was the result of intoxication, then it is what it is. It doesn’t change him, it doesn’t change anyone or anything. Maybe it does change what we do around our friends.
In a way, it hits close. 20-ish year friend of one of my best friends was found dead in his apartment. Early Tuesday afternoon. He was a nice and successful guy.
Death takes people from our lives. Sometimes the cause of death will rally people. Sometimes it’s a crapshoot. Sometimes it’s predictable, and see above on that. Mr Gately deserves his adoration and his peace too. His husband and his family/families deserve the right to remember, mourn and celebrate him. How ’bout us tourists doin’ what we can for that? Isn’t that what we’d want for our own families?
Pulmonary edema may have been the mechanism, but it was not the cause. Most references I’ve seen to pulmonary edema indicate it is caused by an injury or disease – it does not just spontaneously happen.
A dear friend of mine died of pulmonary edema. She thought she had the flu the night before, but got up next morning went to work, collapsed and died. Sometimes things just go wrong.
Reports I’ve read elsewhere indicate that he died by choking to death on his own vomit. It’s sad that getting so drunk that you a) make yourself sick, & b) are blacked out & unable to awaken when you start to choke would be considered a ‘natural’ cause.
I am a physician for 39 years and I have serious doubts as to how a 33 years old white male would acquire “fluid on the lungs.” Known as pulmonary oedema. Do does NOT occur of it’s own accord, so something nefarious is going down here again. Respectfully
How does fluid just appear in the lungs? The average 33-year-old doesn’t just come back from the beach and die overnight from pulmonary edema. What’s the rest of the story? This isn’t about blame, or stirring up scandal. He obviously had a lot to live for, so what took him from the man and the family who loved him?
Rest in Peace, sweet Stephen. Boyzone’s version of “No Matter What” is a gay anthem.