What had happened to Tom Petty? Reason behind demise of GTA 6 artist explored

Rockstar Games has at last revealed the inaugural trailer for the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6), and its reception within the online community has been nothing short of explosive. The one-minute-and-thirty-second trailer provided glimpses and clues about the gameplay and characters. Another noteworthy element was the background song that accompanied the trailer.

For those wondering, the featured song in the GTA 6 trailer hails from the late American singer-songwriter and guitarist Thomas Earl Petty (aka Tom Petty). The track titled Love is a Long Road is currently gaining traction and trending within the gaming community.

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What caused GTA 6 artist Tom Petty's death? Reasons explored

Born on October 20, 1950, in Gainesville, Florida, Tom Petty enjoyed a highly successful singing career, marked by numerous hits spanning the 1970s to the 1990s. His band, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, produced chart-toppers such as American Girl (1976), Don't Do Me Like That (1979), Refugee (1980), The Waiting (1981), Don't Come Around Here No More (1985), and Learning to Fly (1991).

Petty, unfortunately, passed away at the age of 66 after being discovered unconscious and in cardiac arrest on October 2, 2017. Despite resuscitation efforts and being transported to UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica, California, he succumbed later that evening.

The cause of Tom Petty's death remained undisclosed to the public until January 2018 when Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner Jonathan Lucas revealed that the artist had passed away due to (transcript via NPR.org):

"Multisystem organ failure due to resuscitated cardiopulmonary arrest due to mixed drug toxicity."

Further details included a list of drugs that Tom Petty had consumed. The substances on the list comprised opioids and sedatives such as fentanyl, oxycodone, temazepam, alprazolam, citalopram, acetylfentanyl, and despropionyl fentanyl.

The singer also experienced various ailments, including emphysema (gradual damage to lung tissue) and a fractured hip. Reportedly, on the day of his death, the intensifying hip pain prompted Tom to take the drugs, culminating in an accidental drug overdose.

In September 2018, Tom's wife, Dana York, disclosed (during an interview with Billboard) that doctors had recommended the singer undergo hip surgery, a procedure he had chosen to delay.

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What did the fans say?

GTA 6's homage to the Florida-born singer was undeniably a thoughtful touch. It's worth noting that the game is set in the fictional state of Leonida, drawing inspiration from Florida, with Vice City serving as its fictional counterpart to Miami.

Fans took to the official soundtrack on YouTube to share their love. Here's what the gaming community said about his song in the game's trailer:

Fans pour in their love for the late singer (Image via YouTube/Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers)

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As far as the game is concerned, the trailer stated that GTA 6 is set to be released in 2025, although the exact month is yet to be disclosed. The game will also be released on PS5 and Xbox Series X\S.