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The world is in mourning following the sad death of pop genius George Michael.
The 53-year-old former Wham! singer ‘passed away peacefully at home’ early on Christmas Day, to the shock of family, friends and fans.
George’s body was found by his Australian boyfriend of four years, Fadi Fawaz, who shared what really happened on social media.
‘ITs a xmas i will never forget finding your partner dead peacefully in bed first thing in the morning.. I will never stop missing you xx,’ Fadi tweeted.
He told the UK’s Daily Telegraph: ‘We were supposed to be going for Christmas lunch. I went round there to wake him up and he was just gone, lying peacefully in bed.
‘Everything had been very complicated recently, but George was looking forward to Christmas and so was I… I want people to remember him the way he was – he was a beautiful person.’
While the cause is believed to be heart failure, police ruled the death ‘unexplained but not suspicious’ and have ordered a full post-mortem.
While he’s been called ‘a brilliant artist’ and a ‘generous soul’, it’s George’s battles with drug and alcohol and his sex-related scandals that have dominated reports in recent years.
George was arrested three times for drug possession and driving under the influence of narcotics, and served four weeks in prison in 2010.
George – who at the height of his addiction smoked 25 marijuana joints a day – sought therapy at a $46,000-a-week rehab facility in Byron Bay, NSW for ‘emotional anxiety and other issues’.
In recent months, neighbours say the star was reclusive. A movie about George’s colourful life is due to be released in March.
For New Idea’s full tribute to the late pop icon, pick up this week’s issue, out now.
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