On a day already rocked by the tragic mass shooting in Las Vegas , this news is not exactly welcome. But it would have been grim news on any day: Music legend Tom Petty has passed away at 66. Just a short while ago, TMZ reported Tom Petty’s condition, which took a turn for the worse and never recovered. Apparently, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member had been found unconscious in full cardiac arrest Sunday. He was, of course, immediately rushed to the hospital. EMTs were able to get a pulse in his Malibu home, but having a pulse doesn’t mean a recovery is necessarily in order. It probably goes without saying that spending minutes without oxygen pumping to your brain is never good. Even a matter of crucial seconds in such a state can be the difference from making a recovery and not. Unfortunately, despite Petty regaining his pulse and being spirited with all due haste to UCLA Santa Monica Hospital, it just wasn’t enough. TMZ ‘s sources say that he was immediately placed on life support in an effort to stabilize his vital signs. From the moment that hew as found, the Heartbreakers’ frontman’s condition was considered “critical.” Petty’s close friends and loved ones were reportedly upset but unwilling to disclose details about his condition or what may have led to it. To make matters worse, new information about the singer-songwriter’s health came just an hour or so ago. Upon arrival at the hospital, medical professionals determined that Tom Petty had no signs of brain activity. That means brain death, which in all terms save the standard used to declare time of death, meant that he was no longer living. The decision was made at that time to remove Petty from life support, and thus, multiple news outlets are now reporting his passing. Tom is, as we said, a Rock legend. (Honestly, I’ve had his massive hit, “Breakdown,” playing in a loop on my head as I’ve written this – and I wouldn’t even consider Rock to be one of my music genres. That’s the kind of reach that Tom Petty has) A lot of networks are playing his other hits, like “Free Fallin,'” “Mary Jane’s Last Dance,” “I Won’t Back Down” and countless others. Tasteful references to his work seem like a perfect way to honor him, and we expect to hear plenty of them in the coming weeks. Petty rose to fame in the 1970s with his band, the Heartbreakers. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002. Tom was also a successful solo artist and performed with Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison and George Harrison in the band The Traveling Wilburys. Though Petty and his band debuted their self-titled record in 1976, they continued to perform to packed arenas over the past four decades. He played his last show last Monday, performing three sold-out shows at the Hollywood Bowl to conclude their 40th anniversary tour. The Florida native will undoubtedly down as one of the most successful and beloved singer-songwriters of his or any generation. R.I.P. UPDATE: CBS News is retracting its original report that Petty has passed away. The singer has been removed from life support, but according to a hospital source, he’s currently “clinging to life.” We will continue to monitor the situation and bring you further updates as more information becomes available. View Slideshow: Celebrities Who Died in 2017: In Memoriam
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Tom Petty Dies; Rock Legend Was 66 (UPDATED)
