The INSIDER Summary:
• On December 25, singer George Michael died at the age of 53.
• Since his death, sources have revealed a secret side of Michael's life.
• The singer made generous donations to worthwhile causes.
• But he made sure the general public never knew.
On Christmas Day, George Michael died of heart failure at his home in Goring-on-Thames, England. The singer was 53 years old, and just one of many beloved celebrities who died in 2016.
Now, in the days following his death, sources have suggested that Michael had a secret side. According to a report from the Associated Press, the singer spent a great deal of his fortune helping those in need — then working hard to ensure he was never congratulated for his generosity.
Over the years, he secretly donated millions of dollars to charities that benefited children, cancer victims, and AIDS sufferers. Two UK organizations — Childline and the Terrence Higgins Trust— received royalties from some of Michael's hit songs, too. Through it all, the report says, he insisted on keeping his charitable actions out of the public eye.
Stories of Michael's generosity have also surfaced on social media, NPR reports. And it appears that Michael wasn't just giving to charitable organizations — he was committed to helping individuals, too.
Sources on Twitter say that Michael helped out a game show contestant who couldn't afford an expensive cancer treatment, gave money to a struggling waitress/nursing student, and even wrote a check for a stranger in a cafe.
A woman on 'Deal Or No Deal' told us she needed £15k for IVF treatment. George Michael secretly phoned the next day and gave her the £15k.
— Richard Osman (@richardosman) December 26, 2016
I wrote in a piece ages ago about a celeb I'd worked with tipping a barmaid £5k because she was a student nurse in debt. Was George Michael.
— Sali Hughes (@salihughes) December 26, 2016@richardosman he gave a stranger in a cafe £25k as she was crying over debt. Told the waitress to give her the cheque after he left.
— VectorVictoria (@V3ct0rv1ct0r) December 26, 2016A UK radio personality said that Michael made a sizable yearly donation, always in secret:
Every Easter at Capital when I was on air with chris Tarrant for help a london child George would call in at 3.30pm with a £100.000 donation
— Mick Brown (@djmickbrown) December 25, 2016And a woman who volunteered at a homeless shelter said that Michael worked there anonymously:
George Michael worked anonymously at a homeless shelter I was volunteering at. I've never told anyone, he asked we didn't. That's who he was
— EMILYNE MONDO (@EmilyneMondo) December 26, 2016And it seems through it all, he was always insistent about keeping his generosity under wraps.
"Everyone's got really pissed off listening to celebrities patting each other on the back saying how generous they are being,"he once told MTV. "And they are right to."
Read more about George Michael's charitable life over at NPR.
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