The Sudden Death of Bee Gees’ Maurice Gibb

It’s been over two decades since the unexpected death of Bee Gees multi-instrumentalist Maurice Gibb, and many fans are looking back on his tragic passing. Maurice was one of the core founding members of the band along with brothers, Barry and Robin, and he remained a part of it until his death in 2003. Read on for a look back at Maurice’s passing and how it has impacted fans ever since.

Maurice and his brothers achieved worldwide fame as the Bee Gees, and they dealt with many of the trials that other rock stars face, including alcoholism, in Maurice’s case. However, the singer faced his issues and completed a rehabilitation program over a decade before his death, remaining sober for the rest of his life. Sadly, his death was caused by a unique medical issue called a volvulus, or twisted intestine.

In January of 2003, Maurice was hospitalized for severe stomach pain, and he underwent emergency abdominal surgery the next day. While doctors were trying to diagnose the singer, he experienced cardiac arrest due to his condition. Surgeons then removed a portion of his small intestine to clear the obstruction, but he passed away some time after the surgery. A medical examiner found that the stress and shock of the volvulus, the heart attack and the surgery all added up to his untimely death.

A volvulus occurs when a loop of the intestine twists around itself and the mesentery – the abdominal structure that supports the intestines. This can be caused by a number of other conditions, but the medical examiners involved believe that Maurice had a little-known birth defect known as intestinal malrotation which caused it. This “twisted intestine” can cause a wide range of symptoms, which can set in quickly or gradually, but in this case it seems to have happened fast.

Maurice was treated at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, Florida where he had lived with his wife for many years. He was 53 years old at the time of his death. He was with his wife and children in the hospital when he passed. Days later, Maurice was laid to rest in a private but massive funeral service with 200 guests, including Michael Jackson and other celebrities.

Maurice’s fraternal twin brother Robin passed away in May of 2012 due to complications from colorectal cancer. The twins had formed the Bee Gees with their older brother Barry when they were just 9 years old. Their legacy is self-evident, though it has been over half a century since they first began recording together.