George Michael ‘battled secret lung problems ever since suffering with pneumonia in 2011’ according to reports

GEORGE Michael reportedly battled secret lung problems ever since he was struck down with pneumonia in 2011.
The Wham! singer, who died at his Oxfordshire home on Christmas Day from suspected heart failure, was treated for the lung infection after collapsing while on his Symphonica tour.
Now it's claimed the star, who leaves behind a £105m fortune which is likely to go to his many Godchildren, "never fully recovered" from the illness.
A source told the : "His lungs never fully recovered. That can happen after a serious bout of pneumonia like George had.
"Sometimes it leaves the lung scarred or damaged, which can lead to a loss of function. Part of the lung basically doesn’t work anymore.
"It can leave you feeling breathless, as the lungs have a smaller capacity than before."
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Speaking about the incident in 2014 to local paper the , George admitted he'd been left fighting for his life at the time.
He'd been taken ill in Austria, collapsing before a performance, and during treatment doctors performed a tracheotomy to keep his airways open and he was unconscious for some time.
He said: "Yes, it almost killed me.
“On a subconscious level it was very frightening and I’ll probably never feel quite as safe again. But oh my God, I was just so grateful to come out alive and very happy to get back to my home in London.”
The Careless Whisper hitmaker, who was revealed to have left behind a treasure trove full of unreleased music, also once admitted to smoking up to 25 cannabis joints each day.
The source added: "George made no secret about how much he smoked.
"Smoking can seriously affect the lungs and dramatically increases the risk of infection.
"After having pneumonia, it’s incredibly dangerous to smoke at all."
In 2014, George said he hadn't smoked for a year and a half, but friends of the star say he had been smoking again since then.
Tributes from celebrities have poured in for the singer who passed away at the age of 53.
Among them have been kind words from his former love Kenny Goss, who said in a statement: "The beautiful memories and music he brought to the world will always be an important part of my life and those who also loved and admired him."
Other mourners have included Sir Elton John, Geri Halliwell, Madonna and his Wham! bandmate Andrew Ridgeley.
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