Fadi Fawaz had maintained a quiet profile despite dating one of the biggest pop stars of recent decades, but now the boyfriend of the late George Michael is being thrust into the spotlight after finding the singer’s dead body on Christmas Day.
Michael and Fawaz have been dating for several years, though the couple did their best to avoid the spotlight. But after word of Michael’s shocking death on Christmas, Fadi Fawaz came forward to discuss how it was actually him who found the 53-year-old Michael dead.
“ITs a xmas i will never forget finding your partner dead peacefully in bed first thing in the morning,” he wrote on Twitter the day after Christmas (via People magazine). “I will never stop missing you xx.”
A publicist for George Michael had confirmed on Christmas that the singer died, but Fadi Fawaz was not mentioned.
“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,” his publicist confirmed to People. “The family would ask that their privacy be respected at this difficult and emotional time.”
Though the couple had been together for several years, it was not known until the day after Michael’s death that they were still together. It had been since September, 2015, since the two were spotted in public together, with photographers catching up with the pair in Zurich, Switzerland.
Fadi Fawaz, el último amor de George Michael. pic.twitter.com/AeydncIpew
— YvonneVVenezolana (@yvidalaqui) December 26, 2016
The two were actually spotted together across Europe many times, but their absence from the spotlight in recent months had led to speculation that George Michael and Fadi Fawaz had split.
Partner vond George Michael dood in bed: Fadi Fawaz, de partner van George Michael, heeft de… https://t.co/3vFLIKVB5C #nieuws #Nederland pic.twitter.com/AnO2H8Ng3q
— Roddy Rietveldt (@rjrietveldt) December 26, 2016
The Mirror reported that George Michael had been dating Fadi Fawaz since around 2009, not long after Michael broke up with former boyfriend Kenny Goss.
Though Fadi Fawaz was reported to be a hairstylist for celebrities, he is also a self-described artist and photographer. Fawaz has a Flickr page in which he showed off some of his art which includes photography mixed with elements of graphic design, with a focus on gritty subjects like homelessness and cityscapes.
While George Michael’s death has put new attention on boyfriend Fadi Fawaz, it has also brought an outpouring of remembrance from fans. Michael was known for his struggles with fame, his addiction, and personal issues that marred a career marked by several international hits.
His group, WHAM!, was one of the biggest-selling acts of the 1980s and would become the fist western pop act to tour in China. Michael later went solo, selling more than 100 million albums including 25 million for his debut, Faith.
As the Guardian noted, his impact on the music industry was great.
“Even before Wham! separated in 1986, Michael had given a hint of his solo ambitions and that remarkable soul voice with the single Careless Whisper. Mark Ronson, the DJ and producer, described him as ‘one of the true British soul greats,’ while Sir Paul McCartney said the singer’s ‘sweet soul music will live on even after his sudden death.’ McCartney added: ‘Having worked with him on a number of occasions, his great talent always shone through and his self-deprecating sense of humor made the experience even more pleasurable.’ “
Though George Michael’s relationship with boyfriend Fadi Fawaz was kept away from the spotlight, Michael himself was open and proud about his sexuality. Since publicly coming out as gay after a 1998 arrest for “lewd behavior,” Michael was unapologetic about his homosexuality and was an outspoken advocate for gay rights.
[Featured Image by Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images]
