Eddie Money lost his battle with stage 4 esophageal cancer on Friday at the age of 70. The “Two Tickets to Paradise” singer reportedly was forced to halt cancer treatments while he was hospitalized for three months with pneumonia, a complication that resulted from a heart procedure he underwent earlier in the year.
TMZ reported earlier this month Money had been forced to forgo cancer treatment after he contracted pneumonia. In August, he announced that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 esophageal cancer in the fall of 2018, choosing to keep the news private until recently.
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The minimally invasive heart valve procedure, which took place in May, was recommended by the rocker’s doctors after he began to experience shortness of breath. At the time, Money told his fans that he “[appreciated] your thoughts and prayers” and that “I look forward to getting back on stage and rockin’ with you all!”
The beloved rock star planned on returning to his tour in June — but did not — after reportedly contracting pneumonia. In July, he announced that he was canceling his remaining 2019 tour dates. A month later, he announced his cancer diagnosis.
“I thought I was just going in to get a checkup and [the doctor] told me that I got cancer,” Money said in a release from AXS TV in August.
His wife Laurie clarified, “He’s been diagnosed with stage 4 esophageal cancer. It’s in his esophagus at the top of his stomach, is where the tumor is. It’s also spread to his liver.”
Money said the news hit him “really, really hard” and that he decided to come clean with his fans and “be honest with everybody” about what’s going on.
“What I don’t want to do is, I don’t want to keep the fact that I have cancer from everybody,” he said. “It’s not honest. I want to be honest with everybody. I want people to know that cancer’s come a long way and not everyone dies from cancer, like they did in the ’50s and ’60s. Am I going to live a long time? Who knows. It’s in God’s hands. But you know what, I’ll take every day I can get. Every day above ground is a good day.”
A reality TV series about Money and his family, Real Money, aired on AXS TV starting in April 2018. Chronicling his life at home with his family, it also documented his health struggles. Last month, AXS clarified that Money was still filming the reality show amid the diagnosis and that the remaining episodes in Season 2 will tackle the family’s reaction to it.
“Money received the diagnosis last fall while taping the second season of his popular reality series, which he and his wife, Laurie, executive produce,” the network said. “The six remaining episodes of season two will deal with Money’s cancer and its effects on Eddie and his family. Currently, Money is recuperating from complications involving a heart valve procedure performed in June. The heart issue was a condition unrelated to his cancer.”
Money is survived by his wife Laurie and five children, daughter Jesse Money, and sons Zachary, Joseph, Desmond and Julian.
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