Sir Elton John was reported “24 hours from death” after catching an infection following prostate cancer treatment.
The 75-year-old artist chose surgery over treatment after being diagnosed with cancer because he did not want the disease to “hang over” his family.
John celebrated his procedure in Los Angeles as a “perfect success” in his memoir, which is currently being issued in portions. However, he became aware of a problem ten days after the procedure.
“It was established after the operation that I had a very rare issue.” After staying up all night “wondering if I was going to die,” he was admitted to a London hospital for 11 days.
It motivated him to stop touring to spend more time with his family, including his wife, David Furnish, and his two sons, Zachary and Elijah.
“I pleaded in the hospital, alone in the middle of the night, please don’t let me die, please let me see my kids again, please give me a little longer,” he wrote.
“In a strange way, the time I spent mending felt like an answer to my prayers: if you want more time, you must learn to live this way; you must slow down. To have more leisure, you must learn to live this way.”
“It was as if I was shown another existence, one that I decided I preferred to being on the road,” he continued. Even if the music were the most incredible thing ever made, Zachary’s speech about what happened at Cubs or football practice sounded better than any music ever created.
“I do not doubt I will stop touring at this time.”
John, who is now on tour with his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, revealed in his book that he had a falling out with Diana, Princess of Wales after she refused to sign the foreword to a book for his AIDS charity. This information was made public during John’s Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour.
They reconciled on the same day that fashion designer Gianni Versace was murdered.
