On Tuesday, the 28th, Depeche Mode released a statement revealing the cause of death of their keyboardist and founding member, Andy Fletcher . The musician passed away a month ago, on May 26th, at the age of 60.
In a statement published on social media, the band said they were going through "sad" and "disorienting" times, but decided to disclose the cause of their friend's death at the request of Andy's family.
“A few weeks ago, we received the results of Andy’s medical tests and his family asked us to share them now. Andy suffered an aortic dissection at home on May 26th, so even though this happened very, very early, he passed away naturally and without prolonged suffering,” wrote Depeche Mode.
The aortic dissection mentioned by the band refers to a tear in the wall of the aorta. Andy Fletcher's life, according to Depeche Mode, was celebrated in a ceremony among friends and family in London last week. "It was a beautiful ceremony with a few tears, but filled with good memories of Andy, stories from our time together and lots of laughs," they wrote.
Andy Fletcher was one of the founders of Depeche Mode in 1980. His work blending rock and electronic music continues to be a major influence on countless current pop and rock artists. Both he and the band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2020.
READ ALSO: Dave Grohl returns to the stage for the first time since Taylor Hawkins' death.