Tom Petty Died Of Accidental Drug Overdose

Tom Petty, the rock stalwart who sold millions of albums with hits like “I Won’t Back Down,” “Free Fallin’” and “American Girl,” died in October from an accidental drug overdose as a result of mixing medications that included opioids, the Los Angeles medical examiner said Friday.

He had been taking Fentanyl (including acetylfentanyl and despropionyl fentanyl), oxycodone and generic Xanax. Other medications included generic Restoril (a sleep aid) and generic Celexa (which treats depression), the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner said.

Petty had been taking the prescribed medications for emphysema, knee problems and, most significantly, a fractured hip. Petty, the lead singer and founder of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, performed despite his health problems, and his death came days after he and the Heartbreakers wrapped up their 40th anniversary tour with three nights at the Hollywood Bowl, concluding Monday, Sept. 25.

His family said the hip injury worsened as he toured.

“Despite this painful injury he insisted on keeping his commitment to his fans and he toured for 53 dates with a fractured hip and, as he did, it worsened to a more serious injury,” his wife, Dana, and daughter, Adria, said in a statement posted on the band’s Facebook page. “On the day he died he was informed his hip had graduated to a full on break and it is our feeling that the pain was simply unbearable and was the cause for his overuse of medication.”

Petty was found unconscious and not breathing at his Malibu home and died hours later. The cause of death on his death certificate read "deferred," a common designation when officials don't want to make a ruling until after an autopsy.

In Gainsville, where Petty was born in 1950, nearly 90,000 Florida Gators fans paid an emotional tribute to him five days after his death by singing "I Won't Back Down," his hit released in April 1989 as the lead single from his first solo album, Full Moon Fever, which would become certified 5× platinum in the United States and 6× platinum in Canada.

The federal centers for Disease Control and Prevention said last fall that opioids killed more than 42,000 people in 2016, more than any year on record, and that 40 percent of all opioid overdose deaths that year involved prescription opioids.

Last fall, President Trump declared America's opioid crisis a national public health emergency, saying that "nobody has seen anything like it."

“As a family we recognize this report may spark a further discussion on the opioid crisis and we feel that it is a healthy and necessary discussion and we hope in some way this report can save lives,” the family statement said. “Many people who overdose begin with a legitimate injury or simply do not understand the potency and deadly nature of these medications.”

Along with his career leading The Heartbreakers, Petty enjoyed a successful solo career, starting with the 1989 album "Full Moon Fever," which, in addition to "I Won't Back Down," included hit songs "Free Fallin'" and "Runnin' Down a Dream." The album, which was produced by Jeff Lynne and included several members from the Heartbreakers, reached No. 3 on the charts and went multi-platinum. He also released the popular solo albums "Wildflowers" (1994) and "Highway Companion" (2006).

He performed an unforgettable halftime show at Superbowl XLII in 2008.

In 1988, Petty, Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Lynne and Roy Orbison formed the supergroup, The Traveling Wilburys, which released two albums and recorded the hits "Handle With Care" and "End Of The Line." The band never toured. Petty and the Heartbreakers served as Dylan's backing band during the True Confessions tour in 1986.

In 2002, Petty was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He had won countless awards for his music, including three Grammy awards, three MTV Video Music Awards, a Radio Music Award and a Billboard Music Award.

"On a positive note we now know for certain he went painlessly and beautifully exhausted after doing what he loved the most, for one last time, performing live with his unmatchable rock band for his loyal fans on the biggest tour of his 40 plus year career," his family's statement said. "He was extremely proud of that achievement in the days before he passed."

Full Statement from Dana and Adria Petty

Our family sat together this morning with the medical examiner – coroner’s office and we were informed of their final analysis that Tom Petty passed away due to an accidental drug overdose as a result of taking a variety of medications.

Unfortunately Tom’s body suffered from many serious ailments including emphysema, knee problems and most significantly a fractured hip.

Despite this painful injury he insisted on keeping his commitment to his fans and he toured for 53 dates with a fractured hip and, as he did, it worsened to a more serious injury.

On the day he died he was informed his hip had graduated to a full on break and it is our feeling that the pain was simply unbearable and was the cause for his over use of medication.

We knew before the report was shared with us that he was prescribed various pain medications for a multitude of issues including fentanyl patches and we feel confident that this was, as the coroner found, an unfortunate accident.

As a family we recognize this report may spark a further discussion on the opioid crisis and we feel that it is a healthy and necessary discussion and we hope in some way this report can save lives. Many people who overdose begin with a legitimate injury or simply do not understand the potency and deadly nature of these medications.

On a positive note we now know for certain he went painlessly and beautifully exhausted after doing what he loved the most, for one last time, performing live with his unmatchable rock band for his loyal fans on the biggest tour of his 40 plus year career. He was extremely proud of that achievement in the days before he passed.

We continue to mourn with you and marvel at Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers incredible positive impact on music and the world. And we thank you all for your love and support over the last months.
Thank you also for respecting the memory of a man who was truly great during his time on this planet both publicly and privately.

We would be grateful if you could respect the privacy of the entire Heartbreaker family during this difficult time.

Dana Petty and Adria Petty

(Photo by Owen Sweeney/Invision/AP)

Patch staffers Emily Holland, Michael Lello and Feroze Dhanoa contributed reporting.