Elton John Received A Remarkable Gift From Freddy Mercury Before His Death

Dec 03, 2018

With the release of the film Bohemian Rhapsody, the spotlight has been on Freddie Mercury, the lead for the band Queen.

Elton John's book, Love is the Cure: On Life, Loss, and the End of AIDS offers a previously unknown insight into Freddie's fight against the disease.

While he was flamboyant and electric as the front man for Queen, he was an intensely private person out of the spotlight. Freddie only disclosed his diagnosis publicly the day before his death. Mercury was diagnosed with AIDS in 1987, several years before his death.

He did share his diagnosis with close friends like Elton John. This disclosure was devastating to the Rocketman because he knew what the disease would do to Freddie.

Freddie never let the public know. He performed with Queen. He kept going. He kept being the personable, generous, funny person he naturally was. Elton saw his friend ravaged by AIDS. Towards the end, he was almost blind, could hardly stand, and was covered by Kaposi's sarcoma lesions.

With everything going on, Freddie could have spent his last days concerned with just being comfortable. But, that wouldn't have been who he was. He lived to give others happiness. 

Freddie Mercury died on November 24, 1991. Elton John continued to grieve for weeks after his funeral. Then, on Christmas Day, a month after Freddie's passing, Elton learned that his friend had left him one final gift.

A mutual friend showed up at Elton's door bearing a gift. When he opened it up, he found a painting by Henry Scott Tuke, one of his favorite artists. Accompanying the painting was a note directly from Freddie.

Many years before Freddie and Elton had created pet names for one another. They were their drag queen alter egos. Elton was Sharon and Freddie was Melina. The note said "Dear Sharon, I thought you'd like this. Love, Melina. Happy Christmas."

This profoundly personal note and gift shook the then 44-year-old Elton to his core, and he started crying like a child. Freddie knew he was dying, but took time to find a personal Christmas gift for a dear friend . Even as Elton continued to mourn Freddie's passing, he saw this painting as a true gift that captured who his friend really was. Why he was so special in life.

What do you think about this beautiful friendship? Do you still listen to Queen all these years later (we definitely do!) - Let us know! Do you know any huge Freddy Mercury fans? Go ahead and pass this story to them too - we are sure it will warm their heart.