Rocker Tom Petty died from an accidental drug overdose as he attempted to control the pain of a broken hip.
The Free Fallin' singer died suddenly at the beginning of October (17), and now his autopsy results have been released - and they show Petty was taking a variety of medications at the time of his death.
Among the drugs the star was taking were pain medications, including Fentanyl patches, according to TMZ.
Tom suffered a cardiac arrest before he was taken to a hospital in Los Angeles and he died the next day after his family agreed to take him off life support.
In a new statement a spokesman for the rock icon's family reveals Petty was trying to manage the pain of a broken hip just before his death after a 53-date tour with his band The Heartbreakers.
The sad statement reads: "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," the note continues.
"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."
Concluding the statement, the spokesman adds the family now knows Petty "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."
Petty died of multisystem organ failure. A second cause of death was resuscitated cardiopulmonary arrest.
