The family of Tom Petty have issued a statement reporting that he died as the result of “an accidental drug overdose.”
The US musician died in October last year at the age of 66 – and it’s now been revealed that he’d been taking painkillers and medication for various conditions, including emphysema, knee problems and a fractured hip.
Petty’s family report that on the day he died, he’d been told that his hip fracture had become a full break and it was their feeling that “the pain was simply unbearable and was the cause for his over use of medication.”
The statement continues: “We knew before the report was shared with us that he was prescribed various pain medications for a multitude of issues including Fentanyl patches and we feel confident that this was, as the coroner found, an unfortunate accident.
“As a family we recognise this report may spark a further discussion on the opioid crisis and we feel that it is a healthy and necessary discussion and we hope in some way this report can save lives.
“Many people who overdose begin with a legitimate injury or simply do not understand the potency and deadly nature of these medications.
“On a positive note, we now know for certain he went painlessly and beautifully exhausted after doing what he loved the most, for one last time, performing live with his unmatchable rock band for his loyal fans on the biggest tour of his 40-plus year career.
“He was extremely proud of that achievement in the days before he passed.”
Petty’s last album, Hypnotic Eye, was released in 2014, and he had been performing regularly since.
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