Family: Tom Petty Died Of Accidental Drug Overdose
NEW YORK (AP) — Tom Petty's family says his death last year was due to an accidental drug overdose.
Dana and Adria Petty say they got the results from the coroner's office earlier in the day that the overdose was caused due to a variety of medications.
The statement was posted moments before the Los Angeles coroner's office issued its official findings, which confirmed that Petty had a variety of medications, including fentanyl and oxycodone in his system.
They say Petty suffered from emphysema, a fractured hip and knee problems that caused him pain but he was still committed to touring.
He had just wrapped up a tour a few days before he died in October at age 66.
Here is the family's complete statement:
OUR FAMILY SAT TOGETHER THIS MORNING WITH THE MEDICAL EXAMINER – CORONER'S OFFICE AND WE WERE INFORMED OF THEIR FINAL ANALYSIS THAT TOM PETTY PASSED AWAY DUE TO AN ACCIDENTAL DRUG OVERDOSE AS A RESULT OF TAKING A VARIETY OF MEDICATIONS.
UNFORTUNATELY TOM'S BODY SUFFERED FROM MANY SERIOUS AILMENTS INCLUDING EMPHYSEMA, KNEE PROBLEMS AND MOST SIGNIFICANTLY A FRACTURED HIP.
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.
ON THE DAY HE DIED HE WAS INFORMED HIS HIP HAD GRADUATED TO A FULL ON BREAK AND IT IS OUR FEELING THAT THE PAIN WAS SIMPLY UNBEARABLE AND WAS THE CAUSE FOR HIS OVER USE OF MEDICATION.
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 RECOGNIZE 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.
WE CONTINUE TO MOURN WITH YOU AND MARVEL AT TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS INCREDIBLE POSITIVE IMPACT ON MUSIC AND THE WORLD. AND WE THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR LOVE AND SUPPORT OVER THE LAST MONTHS.
THANK YOU ALSO FOR RESPECTING THE MEMORY OF A MAN WHO WAS TRULY GREAT DURING HIS TIME ON THIS PLANET BOTH PUBLICLY AND PRIVATELY.
WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD RESPECT THE PRIVACY OF THE ENTIRE HEARTBREAKER FAMILY DURING THIS DIFFICULT TIME.
DANA PETTY AND ADRIA PETTY
