Boyzone singer Stephen Gately dead at 33

[Sarzy]

^ Sorry to hear that, Greysfang. That's awful.

[rollo]

Well, if he drank himself to death with his slight frame, that's just stupid.

[Wiseguy]

Very sad, Greysfang.

[Elisa]

2009 sucks! Two of my very favorite singers have died.

Boyzone was THE band in Europe for a long stretch years ago. Stephen was my favorite member of Boyzone.....even over the ever-popular Ronan Keating. I thought Stephen had the better voice. Though he never regained the fandom of Boyzone, I thought he did really well as a solo artist. He was known to be such a nice guy too and apparently not into the party scene at all so if drinking was involved, I'm very surprised. RIP Stephen.

[fgg]

Originally Posted by ManxMouse

8-hour drinking session? That's called Saturday in my world.

and friday and sunday...

[Gen X EJC]

I'm waiting to hear the details from a paper that isn't the Sun. I never really like Stephen that much, or Boyzone, but I totally respected him for being one of the first international pop stars from the 90's to come out. At that point, you could be a 'legend' like Elton John and George Michae, but for someone to come out at his age and still working hard in the industry was a very big deal.

[Sassiness]

Originally Posted by Grimmlok

i wonder what the "night out" entailed, chemical wise..

That was my first thought too, but it's possible it was just a freak natural occurance. Someone I went to high school died in his sleep of a heart condition - he was in peak physical condition, no prior warning symptoms .... just didn't wake up one day

@GenX I don't trust the Sun either. Until an autopsy confirms it was a drinking session, I'm holding off on judgement and presuming freak natural causes instead.

[ekee]

Originally Posted by levitt

I haven't felt any strong emotions over this yet because I don't think I can quite believe it. Stephen was just one of those people who though I rarely thought about him. assumed he'd always be around. He was a part of my childhood (even if he was forced on me by my cousin, I was a Take That fan).

same here. my friends and i were split into two groups. Take That or Boyzone. now that i think about it, it was quite funny. i still dont like Boyzone but 33 is just too young to go. so sad.

[levitt]

They just said on the radio the post mortem showed he died of natural causes, fluid/water on his lungs.

[Chilly Willy]

Originally Posted by Elisa

Boyzone was THE band in Europe for a long stretch years ago.

I'm sorry, but except for young teens no one thought they were remotely interesting. Please exclude me from your generalization. And everyone I know. I have an image to lose, hmmkay?

One way or the other, RIP.

[Pippin]

Stephen Gately died of 'natural causes' post mortem examination reveals

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By Mirror.co.uk 13/10/2009

Boyzone star Stephen Gately died of natural causes, a court official on the island of Majorca said today.
The official said a post mortem had established that the singer suffered a pulmonary oedema, an accumulation of fluid on the lungs.
This would appear to confirm speculation that Mr Gately, who died after a night on the town on the island, choked on his vomit.
At a brief court hearing in the island's capital Palma, a judge said that Mr Gately's body could be taken home.
The 33-year-old was found dead on Saturday. He was discovered on the sofa in his apartment in Port Andratx after a night out partying with his partner Andrew Cowles.
A sample of pulmonary fluid taken during the post-mortem will be sent to a forensic laboratory in Barcelona for further tests to confirm the result, the court official said.
The official added that the investigation into the death will continue as a formality with Mr Cowles and one other person declared as official witnesses.
The second witness is thought to be Bulgarian Georgi Dochev, 25, who went back to the apartment with Mr Gateky and Mr Cowles after their night out and has described finding the singer's lifeless body the next day.
Lawyer Gerald Kean, a spokesman for Mr Gately's family in Ireland, said papers have been signed to allow the release of his body.
But he said it may be two days before it is returned to Ireland.
"The family's only wish is to get their son and brother home as soon as possible," Mr Kean said.
The lawyer said a number of formalities remained to be completed before Mr Gately is repatriated.
he court official said the pulmonary oedema had been "acute".
She added: "If all these steps (witness statements and tests) confirm the natural causes the case will be closed."
She could not say whether Mr Gately had been taking any drugs or alcohol but either way, they were not the cause of death.
She declined to say whether Mr Gately had vomited before his death.
Mr Cowles, who was told of the post mortem results before the hearing, was ushered out of court looking upset.
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He was dressed casually in jeans and a blue open-neck shirt for the half-hour hearing.
Local police have already said there were "no signs of suspicious circumstances".
And Mr Kean said earlier today that Mr Gately's family were "absolutely happy that there is no foul play".
The family are certain no drugs were involved in his death and they do not suspect suicide, he added.
"Their sole purpose and function at the moment is to try and get their son and brother home as quickly as possible," he said.
Mr Dochev, 25, described how the singer's lifeless body was "very cold and white".
He told reporters he found Mr Gately's body on Saturday and alerted his partner, Mr Cowles.
Mr Gately's devastated Boyzone bandmates, who flew to the Spanish island on Sunday, returned home last night.
A spokesman said: "They went there to pay their respects and start dealing with the fall-out of the situation.
"However, it's clear that them being there at the moment is bringing a lot more attention to the situation."
The band comforted Mr Cowles before they left.
Ronan Keating, Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham and Shane Lynch met him at the Mon Port Hotel in the resort of Port Andratx, where they were staying.
Mr Kean said Mr Gately had been in the apartment with Mr Cowles until after midnight on Friday, when he travelled to Palma, about an hour's drive away.
A close family member spoke to the singer at 12.30am Spanish time on Saturday (11.30pm BST) as he was getting ready to leave, the lawyer said.
It is understood Mr Gately spent several hours socialising and was back in the apartment before 6am Spanish time.



Stephen Gately died of 'natural causes' post mortem examination reveals - mirror.co.uk

[rollo]

So the boggle eyed pics have been replaced with a cup of tea.

[levitt]

Just because he was 'boggle eyed' doesn't mean he was on drugs or wankered out of his face.

[Mrs P]

Pulmonary oedema is not caused by just the heart failing to remove fluid from lung circulation. There are non-cardiogenic, alveolar, and other/unknown causes. Before hearing about how he died, my first thought was that he maybe took GHB along with drinking. Illicit drug use and certain types of medication can cause pulmonary oedema.

When googling info on this (oh, how it is my friend) a case popped up about ghb causing alveolar gas exchange impairment, which causes pulmonary oedema.

It's hard to test for GHB because it occurs naturally in the body. Just sayin that I doubt this was entirely 'natural'.

[Sarzy]

His dad's side of the family has a history of heart problems, so it doesn't necessarily mean anything else was involved.