Darius Campbell Danesh's grieving girlfriend reveals popstar's autopsy report following singer's 'sudden' death
2 July 2023, 07:27 | Updated: 2 July 2023, 09:42
The grieving girlfriend of Pop Idol star Darius Campbell Danesh has revealed the singer's cause of death, adding the star "was in so much pain" but that he "didn’t want to take pills".
The Colourblind singer died suddenly in his Minnesota apartment in August 2022, with his partner Lauren Cheek now revealing the circumstances surrounding his death.
According to the 30-year-old, Danesh had been living with an undiagnosed heart condition - as well as a broken neck which he suffered a 2010 car accident which left him with excruciating pain.
The autopsy report revealed the popstar's heart was twice the size it should have been at the time of his death.
The 41-year-old singer came just three millimetres from death after being involved in a 70mph crash in 2010, which saw his Porche written off and Danesh label himself the "luckiest man alive".
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"So many things could have taken him, but this [heart condition] did, and he died in his sleep," Ms Cheek told The Sun.
"His mum told me they only found out [about the undiagnosed condition] after they did the autopsy.
"His heart was twice the size it was supposed to be, which was fitting, because that is genuinely how he was — he had so much love."
The crash saw Danesh suffer what the singer described as a "trauma compression injury" injury similar to that suffered by Superman actor Christopher Reeve, who was left paralysed following a riding accident.
Cheek revealed that he had turned down an operation to relieve the symptoms because the singer feared it may permanently damage his voice.
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She added: "The autopsy also found he was living with a broken neck, but he refused to get help or complain about it.
"I think he used (Chloroethane) because he was in so much pain and he didn’t want to take pills, not even aspirin".
Danesh, originally from Glasgow, became a household name following his appearance on the televised singing competition, with his striking rendition of Britney Spears' breakout track 'Hit Me Baby One More Time' catching audiences attention.
Danesh, who shared two sons with ex-wife Natasha Henstridge, is revealed to have died from inhaling an anaesthetic drug known as ethyl chloride.
Deemed a tragic incident, the anaesthetic drug is known to be used recreationally.
Rochester Police Department said it responded to a "deceased person call" at 11.53am on August 11 at The Berkman.
It added the Southern Minnesota Regional Medical Examiner's Office identified the person as Danesh.
According to autopsy documents from the Southern Minnesota Regional Medical Examiner's Office, "toxic effects of Chloroethane" were listed as his cause of death, alongside "suffocation" as a contributing factor.
A statement previously released by Campbell's family previously said local police had found 'no signs of intent or suspicious circumstances'.
