Some good observations from lawyer Jeff Childers this morning.
From an email:
Yesterday I reported on the untimely, sudden and unexpected death of 50-year-old Foo Fighters’ drummer Taylor Hawkins, which is now creating controversy. Also yesterday, following a preliminary autopsy, Columbia’s attorney general issued a statement claiming that no fewer than TEN psychoactive and recreational drugs were found in Hawkins’ system, including pot, antidepressants, benzodiazepines, LSD, cocaine, heroin, and opoids. Basically the entire list. According to Columbian officials, he was a walking pharmacy.
So, for a brief moment, it looked like just another sad stereotypical “rock star overdoses on drugs” story.
But some facts didn’t seem to fit the overdose narrative, and now there’s a controversy brewing. First, the Columbians didn’t release a cause of death, despite finding all those drugs. Next, Columbian newspaper Semana reported that the autopsy also revealed Hawkins’ heart was enlarged, weighing over 600 grams, twice the weight of an average adult male’s heart. According to Semana, local officials said the drummer’s enlarged heart must have played some part in his death.
Next, the Daily Mail reported that witnesses at his hotel said Hawkins called the front desk for help due to “chest pain” before being found dead in his room when help arrived. The fact that father-of-three Hawkins called the desk and communicated intelligently about his condition, asked clearly for medical assistance, lucidly described concerns related to his heart — not issues typically related to overdosing, has generated some skepticism in the developing official story.
Next, a compelling recent interview video shows Hawkins discussing his health, his kids, the demands of touring, and saying he lives a normal, boring, healthy lifestyle. He said he doesn’t go to parties and his family doesn’t “live that kind of Hollywood rockstar life.” He says he doesn’t hang out with actors, is an avid cycler, and admits if he could just quit smoking he would be “the picture of health.”
Finally, alert readers pointed out this is the second sudden, unexpected tragedy for the band in under a year. Last June, the Foo Fighter’s stage manager, Andrew Pollard, also died suddenly and unexpectedly. The 45-year-old father of two young children, Arlo and Ren, was — ironically — also found dead in his hotel room after retiring for the night. Pollard’s death came just a few weeks after the band began requiring proof of vaccination for fans to attend its concerts.
Being in the Foo Fighters — a band that has been stable for over 20 years — is starting to look like it might be bad for your health, for some reason. Or possibly like a real-life game of Clue. Did they check whether Mrs. Green was in the Library with the Candlestick?
Some very good questions there...
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