Sir Elton John ‘in shock’ as his mother dies suddenly
Sir Elton John says he is “in shock” after his mother died just days after they last spoke.
The Rocket Man singer announced the death of his mother Sheila Farebrother online, saying she had died age 90 Monday morning.
Sir Elton ended a nine year feud with his mother just a few months ago.
(L) Sir Elton John, Elijah Joseph Daniel Furnish-John, Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John and David Furnish (R) (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
In May 2017 Sir Elton revealed he and his mother were “back in touch” following his brush with death that saw him put in intensive care with a bacterial infection contracted in South America.
Writing on Twitter and Instagram, the star thanked his mother “for everything”.
He wrote: “So sad to say that my mother passed away this morning.
“I only saw her last Monday and I am in shock. Travel safe Mum. Thank you for everything. I will miss you so much. Love, Elton”
So sad to say that my mother passed away this morning. I only saw her last Monday and I am in shock. Travel safe Mum. Thank you for everything. I will miss you so much.
Love, Elton pic.twitter.com/dQKXRbpGRy
— Elton John (@eltonofficial) December 4, 2017
The details of how his mother died are not yet publicly known.
Ms Farebrother revealed in a March 2015 interview that, following a heated argument, her son asked her to cut two men out of her life but she refused.
On this year’s Mother’s Day in the United States, Sir Elton surprised many when he posted a picture of him with his mother, taken in July 2002.
He wrote on Instagram: “Dear Mum, Happy Mother’s Day! So happy we are back in touch. Love, Elton xo.”
Prior to this year it is believed they had not had a relationship since June 2008.
The veteran singer had a strained relationship with his mother.
She even invited an Elton John impersenator to perform at her 90th birthday party instead of the real thing.
Sir Elton declined to attend her 90th in March this year, just two months before they would finally rekindle their relationship.
Paul Bacon, who performs as ‘Ultimate Elton’, charmed Ms Farebrother so much that the pair stayed in touch – and struck up an unlikely friendship.
She was so taken by his act that Mr Bacon told the Times he receives regular emails, and the 90-year-old is coming to see him perform for a third time.
He told the newspaper: “She’s keeping in touch, which is very nice. I get the odd email from her, which for me is quite surreal, given what I do. She genuinely loves the music. This is kind of a nod to him.
“I don’t know [if watching me reminds her of her son]. It’s so difficult to say. Perhaps it’s a way of keeping in touch with the music. We do talk about him.”
He added: “From my point of view, it’s fascinating as a fan to hear some of the stories I’ve heard through the media and to hear them at first hand.”
Of the original party booking, he explained: “It’s fairly well documented that she had a falling out with her son but she was determined to have a party. It was [manager] Stuart who mischievously sent her a video.”
(Getty)
“They loved it! It was a really nice evening, everyone was obviously up for a party, in a good mood, and they all loved the songs, there is no doubt about that, we had a great night.”
Sir Elton and his mother were only brought back together following his near-death experience in South America.
The singer came down with the bacterial infection on a flight back from Chile, where had been doing a series of concerts.
He spent two nights in intensive care and was kept in hospital before being released home, according to his agent.
The infection was described by experts as “rare” and “potentially deadly”, and all concerts from his Million Dollar Piano tour during April and May were cancelled.
