Earlier that evening, he had fallen from a chair — something uncharacteristic for the athletic and sober performer — and later developed a severe headache.

Despite remaining active with concerts, a new album, and a movie cameo, Michael had also experienced nausea and balance issues at a charity event weeks earlier. His daughters initially attributed the symptoms to stress and exhaustion.

When he underwent an MRI the following Monday, doctors found a brain tumor. Surgeons removed it entirely, and a week later, pathology confirmed it was glioblastoma. Dr. Ingo Mellinghoff of Memorial Sloan Kettering explained that symptoms such