00:00Welcome to News Plus Globe!
00:02George Michael was one of the greatest pop stars of all time.
00:06Born Giorgios Kiriakos Paniotu in London, he formed Wham! with Andrew Ridgely in the 1980s,
00:13then launched a solo career that sold over 100 million records.
00:17His debut album, Faith, sold more than 20 million copies and won a Grammy.
00:22It's like Careless Whisper and Last Christmas made him a global icon.
00:26But behind the fame, he endured profound personal pain.
00:29Losing his partner to AIDS, his mother to cancer, and battling his own health issues.
00:34George Michael died on Christmas Day 2016 at just 53 years old.
00:39A post-mortem found he died of natural causes, heart disease, and a fatty liver.
00:43But what truly set him apart was his secret generosity.
00:47He gave away all royalties from last Christmas to charity.
00:50He paid for strangers' medical treatments, covered funeral costs, and volunteered at a homeless shelter in disguise.
00:56Every tour stop, he donated up to £30,000 to local charities.
01:01He died worth over $128 million, but his friends believe he gave away far more.
01:07Stay with News Plus Globe for more music news and tributes.
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