今日吃瓜

Today, December 1, marks World AIDS Day. A week ago today, on November 24, was the 30th anniversary of Freddie Mercury鈥檚 death, due to AIDS-related complications.聽

The Queen lead singer was 45-years-old when he passed away. Many celebrities have since paid tribute to the esteemed singer, including fellow rock star and friend, Sir Elton John.

Freddie Kept His Diagnosis A Secret

November 27th, 1991, Freddie Mercury's funeral is held in privacy, attended by only 35 of his closest friends, including Elton John and his Queen bandmates. First ceremony at 10:00 a.m. in the London chapel, and the second at the crematorium in Kensal Green Cemetery.馃檹馃徎

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Elton mentioned Freddie鈥檚 final days in his 2013 book Love Is the Cure: On Life, Loss, and the End of AIDS.

鈥淚鈥檇 seen what the disease had done to so many of my other friends,鈥� Elton wrote.聽鈥淚 knew exactly what it was going to do to Freddie. As did he. He knew death, agonising death, was coming.鈥澛�

The Bohemian Rhapsody singer-songwriter was diagnosed with HIV in 1987, although he kept it a secret from both his closest friends and fans for as long as possible.聽

Elton was left 鈥渄evastated鈥� when he discovered his close friend had contracted the infection, but said Freddie was always 鈥減rofoundly generous鈥� and 鈥渢ruly lived for others鈥� right up until he died.聽

According to Elton, the flamboyant showman continued to perform and was determined to not lose his vivaciousness, despite his rapidly declining health.聽

The Christmas Gift

https://twitter.com/vicleolions/status/1463680803276263427

On Christmas Day in 1991, following Freddie鈥檚 death, the Candle in the Wind singer was greeted by a friend at his front door with a present wrapped in a pillowcase.聽

To his surprise, Freddie had left a gift for him 鈥� a painting by British impressionist artist, Henry Scott Tuke, whose works Elton had been collecting. Tuke (1858-1929), a painter in the Impressionist style, is well known for his paintings of nude boys and young men.

鈥淗ere was this beautiful man, dying from AIDS, and in his final days, he had somehow managed to find me a lovely Christmas present,鈥� Elton recalled.聽

He found a note with the present. It was addressed to him with his drag name, 鈥淪haron鈥� and signed off from 鈥淢elina鈥�, Freddie鈥檚 drag name. They had given each other those nicknames many years prior.聽

鈥淒ear Sharon, I thought you鈥檇 like this. Love, Melina,鈥� the letter read. 鈥淗appy Christmas.鈥�

鈥淚 was overcome, 44-years-old at the time, crying like a child,鈥� Elton recollected.

Elton Credited Freddie With Saving His Life

, Elton said he still had the painting and the pillow case. 鈥淚t was really moving. He was dying and he still thought of his friends and he bought me this. I still have it on it鈥檚 easel and I still have the pillowcase next to my bed. That is the kind of person he was. He was so so full of love and life. I don鈥檛 think I鈥檝e ever met anyone quite like that.鈥�

Elton has previously credited Freddie as one of his friends who saved his life at the height of his problems with drugs. Elton had revealed that Freddie had begged him to go into rehab.

鈥淭here鈥檚 nobody like Freddie. He was larger than life. So funny, so gifted. So talented in what he wanted to do in his videos. Using ballet dancing. He had such an incredible mind and was one of the funniest people I鈥檝e ever met and was so wonderful to spend time with,” Elton had said in the 2019 interview.

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