Nine weeks after his passing, the official death certificate obtained by TMZ reveals that the guitar legend died after a stroke or cerebrovascular accident. Pneumonia, blood disorder, myelodysplastic syndrome, and lung cancer were also mentioned as underlying causes.
On October 6, Van Halen’s son Wolfgang announced that his father had died after a “long and arduous battle with cancer.” The certificate also listed a number of other “major conditions” that contributed to his father’s death, including squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (skin cancer) and atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat).
Wolfgang recently released Mammoth WVH’s debut single “Distance” as a tribute to his father.
“As my dad continued to struggle with various health problems, I was imagining what my life would be like without him and how much I would miss him,” the young Van Halen said after the song was released. “While this song is incredibly personal, I think anyone can relate to the idea of having a deep loss in their own life.”
He also promised to forge his own path, instead of riding his father’s skirt. “There are many more ways to honor my father than simply playing ‘Panama,'” he recently tweeted. “Being my own musician, I honor my father much more than just playing a fucking [Van Halen] song. I understand that everyone wants to hear VH songs. Head to Spotify, because I’m not a jukebox.”