Just five months after the music industry and fans were left heartbroken at the passing of iconic Fleetwood Mac keyboardist and singer, Christine McVie, we finally have some answers as to what caused the 79-year-old’s death.
According to court documents filed to settle her $50m estate, McVie’s official death certificate shows she died on November 30th, 2022, after suffering from the most common type of stroke known as the ischemic stroke.
This type of stroke occurs when a blood clot obstructs or restricts blood flow in a crucial artery leading to the brain.
The certificate also cited “metastatic malignancy of unknown primary origin,” indicating that cancer had spread throughout her body, but the initial location and cause of the cancer remains unknown.
Christine McVie and Stevie Nicks in 1977.
While McVie had remained private about her health struggles, she did open up to Rolling Stone in June 2022, revealing that her body was unable to keep up with her passion for music.
“I don’t feel physically up for it,” she had said. “I’m in quite bad health. I’ve got a chronic back problem, which debilitates me. I stand up to play the piano, so I don’t know if I could actually physically do it. What’s that saying? The mind is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Stevie Nicks, John McVie, Christine McVie, Lindsey Buckingham and Mick Fleetwood in 2018.
The McVie family have not commented on the cause of death, nor are they expected to.
At the time of her death, the family had published a statement via McVie’s Instagram.
“We would like everyone to keep Christine in their hearts and remember the life of an incredible human being, and revered musician who was loved universally. RIP Christine McVie.”
