Eddie Van Halen's official cause of death has been revealed
The official cause of death for legendary Van Halen guitarist Eddie Van Halen has been revealed.
Eddie passed away at the age of 65 back in October.
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Eddie Van Halen died at St. Johns Hospital in Santa Monica on Tuesday, Oct 6, 2020. According to TMZ, Eddie reportedly saw a massive decline in his health over his last 72 hours. The legendary rock guitarist had been battling cancer for well over a decade. However, doctors had recently discovered that the cancer had spread to his brain and other organs.
Now, his official cause of death has been confirmed. According to TMZ, his death certificate reveals his immediate cause of death was a stroke. He also suffered from other health ailments including skin cancer on his head and neck.
TMZ further reports that Eddie’s final wishes were for his ashes to be spread off the coast of Malibu. He is survived by his wife Janie and his son Wolfgang. Last year, it was reported that Eddie was flying back and forth from the U.S. and Germany to get radiation treatment.
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Although he was a heavy smoker for many years, Eddie believed his cancer was a result of a metal guitar pick he used to frequently hold in his mouth for more than 20 years.
Since Eddie’s death in October, the music community has been honoring the legendary Van Halen guitarist. Ozzy Osbourne, Weezer and Fall Out Boy‘s Joe Trohman are a few of the musicians to share touching tributes following Eddie’s death. As well, Eddie’s son Wolfgang has been honoring his father in a number of ways.
Last month, Wolfgang released “Distance,” his debut solo single under the project Mammoth WVH. Following its debut, Wolfgang revealed that he wrote the song during his father’s ongoing cancer battle.
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“As my pop continued to struggle with various health issues, I was imagining what my life would be like without him and how terribly I’d miss him,” Wolfgang said. “While the song is incredibly personal, I think anyone can relate to the idea of having a profound loss in their life. I never intended ‘Distance’ to be the very first piece of music people would hear from me, but I also thought my father would be here to celebrate its release. This is for him. I love and miss you, Pop.”
The song’s video is full of old home movie footage that shows Eddie as the attentive and caring father he was. Certain clips also show the late Van Halen guitarist introducing various musical instruments to Wolfgang well before he could talk. The video closes with a touching voicemail Eddie left Wolfgang before his passing.
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“I’m just so happy to have you as my son, man,” Eddie says in the voicemail. “I’m so proud of you. I love you so much. Call me if you get a chance. I just want to hear your voice.”
Earlier this month, Wolfgang shared a series of tweets after various guitars previously owned by Eddie were sold at auction. The guitars, which were all reportedly originally given away as gifts, were auctioned off for a staggering $422,050.
After learning about the auction and that the proceeds were not going to charity, Wolfgang said the sale was “taking advantage of the situation and selling anything that had to do with my father.”
What is your favorite memory of Eddie Van Halen? What are your reactions to Wolfgang’s debut solo single about his father? Let us know in the comments below.
