Fans are mourning the loss of George Michael, who died on Christmas Day at age 53. The British musician leaves behind millions of fans and a catalogue of wildly popular music that is so influential. The superstar was also a generous man and, now after his death, fans are sharing stories of George Michael's secret acts of generosity on social media, proving that the singer truly cared about the world around him. Michael passed away on Dec. 25 at his home in Goring, England, according to a statement from his publicist Connie Filippello.
"It is with great sadness that we can confirm our beloved son, brother and friend George passed away peacefully at home over the Christmas period," said the statement, according to USA Today. "The family would ask that their privacy be respected at this difficult and emotional time. There will be no further comment at this stage." Michael is best known for his hit songs in the 1980s with the pop duo Wham! (with Andrew Ridgeley) and as a solo artist, from his Grammy-winning album Faith.
He often donated the proceeds to his songs to charity. For instance, he donated his royalties from the often-played Wham! song "Last Christmas" to Ethiopian famine relief, according to The Guardian, and Michael gave the proceeds from "Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me," his collaboration with Elton John, to the London Lighthouse Aids hospice and the Rainbow Trust children’s charity.
And Michael was also quite a generous soul behind the scenes, fans are now sharing and learning. Check out some of the stories of George Michael's acts of generosity below.
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He Was Willing To Donate His Own Funds To Charity On 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire'
When Michael appeared on the UK's Who Wants to Be A Millionaire, he played to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support — and he said in the clip above that he'd match the amount he might lose, so the charity would still receive funds.
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He Made Donations To The Terrence Higgins Trust
According to a Facebook post by the organization, Michael "personally supported the charity for many years," donating "experiences and gifts" for the Terrences Higgins Trust, which supports people living with HIV.
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He Donated Millions To A Children's Charity
According to a report from the UK's SNAP, Michael donated millions to the organization Childline.
Childline founder and president Dame Esther Rantzen told the Press Association: “Over the years he gave us millions and we were planning next year, as part of our 30th anniversary celebrations, to create, we hoped, a big concert in tribute to him – to his artistry, to his wonderful musicality but also to thank him for the hundreds of thousands of children he helped through supporting Childline."