A corner has now confirmed the official cause of death of musician Tom Petty, who died in October 2017 at the age of 66. The coroner has determined accidental drug overdose as what lead to Petty's demise.
Ed Winter, Los Angeles County coroner spokesman, has now confirmed Petty's autopsy results. They found a combination of fentanyl, oxycodone, temazepam, alprazolam, citalopram, acetylfentanyl, and despropionyl fentanyl in his system. Petty was unconscious and in cardiac arrest when he was discovered inside his home in Malibu in early October.
The coroner's report states that Petty was sleeping on the couch beside his wife at the time. His wife got up and went to the kitchen and found her husband not breathing when she returned to their couch. Paramedics rushed and administered CPR to Petty, whereupon they saw pulse signs — but as they were headed to UCLA, he had a cardiac arrest.
Petty had another cardiac arrest after being admitted and was later declared dead. On Friday, Jan. 12, Petty's family put out a statement admitting that the Grammy-winning musician had been going through "unbearable" pain because of a hip fracture. But because Petty wanted to continue touring and performing for his fans, his condition didn't get any better.
"Despite this painful injury he insisted on keeping his commitment to his fans and he toured for 53 dates with a fractured hip and, as he did, it worsened to a more serious injury," they said.
The family hopes in some way that Petty's death serves as a reminder of the hazards involved in America's unfortunate opioid crisis, stating that the report somehow saves lives. Many individuals start with an injury or don't understand the "potency and deadly nature" of such medications, they said. In 2016, overdoses linked to opioids increased by a whopping 28 percent, accounting to 42,249 deaths, as BBC reports.
Petty was most famous for being the lead singer of the Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, with hits such as "American Girl," "Breakdown," "You Got Lucky," and "The Waiting," and a ton of others. He served as the cofounder of the Traveling Wilburys group in the '80s, making Grammy-winning albums via collaborations with the likes of Jeff Lynne, George Harrison, Bob Dylan, and more. His most recent release was the album Hypnotic Eye, with The Heartbreakers.
What's your fondest memory of Tom Petty? As always, if you have anything to share, feel free to post them in the comments section below!
