When the news broke on January 18, 2016, that Glenn Frey had died at the age of 67, it felt like a punch to the gut for rock fans everywhere. This was the guy who co-founded the Eagles. The "spark plug" as Don Henley called him. One minute he’s the architect of the California sound, and the next, he’s gone. But the official report wasn't just a simple one-liner. It was a messy, heartbreaking list of ailments that honestly sounded like a medical nightmare.
The cause of death of Glenn Frey was officially attributed to a "perfect storm" of complications from Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), Acute Ulcerative Colitis, and Pneumonia.
That’s a lot for one person to fight. It wasn't just one thing that took him down; it was a domino effect of chronic illness and the brutal side effects of the very treatments meant to save him. If you've ever wondered how a rock star with every resource available ends up succumbing to this cocktail of conditions, the answer is found in the way these diseases interact with each other.
The Long War with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Glenn Frey didn't just get sick overnight. He had been battling Rheumatoid Arthritis for over 15 years. This isn't just "sore joints" from getting older. RA is an autoimmune disorder where your body literally starts attacking its own tissue.
For a guitarist and performer, this is devastating.
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Irving Azoff, the Eagles' longtime manager, was pretty vocal about how much Frey suffered. He described days where Glenn’s knees would hurt so bad he could barely move, only for the pain to migrate to his hands the next day. It was a moving target of agony.
To keep the "History of the Eagles" tour going—and to just function as a human—Frey had to be on some heavy-duty medications. While the specific prescriptions weren't always public, RA is typically treated with things like biologics (Humira, Enbrel) or DMARDs (like Methotrexate). These drugs are miracles for many, but they come with a massive catch: they suppress your immune system.
The Colitis Connection and the Hospital Battle
Then there was the Ulcerative Colitis. This was an even longer battle for Frey, stretching back decades to the 1980s. He’d already had a major chunk of his intestine removed in 1990. In late 2015, the Eagles actually had to pull out of the Kennedy Center Honors because Glenn’s intestinal issues flared up so badly he needed another surgery.
He went into Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City in October 2015. He never really came home.
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After his death, things got legally messy. In 2018, his widow, Cindy Frey, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Mount Sinai and gastroenterologist Steven Itzkowitz. The suit alleged that the medical team failed to properly treat his ulcerative colitis and failed to assess the side effects of the medications he was on.
Essentially, the family argued that the doctors didn't see the big picture. When you’re pumping a patient full of immunosuppressants for arthritis, you’re basically opening the door for every other infection to walk right in.
Why Pneumonia was the Final Blow
Pneumonia is often called "the old man's friend" because it's what finally ends the struggle when a body is too tired to fight anymore. For Frey, it was the final complication.
Because his immune system was compromised by years of RA medication and the physical trauma of intestinal issues, his body couldn't fend off the lung infection. He was placed in a medically induced coma at Columbia University Medical Center toward the end. His systems were just shutting down.
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It's a brutal irony. The drugs that allowed him to stand on stage and sing "Take It Easy" for his fans were likely the same factors that made him vulnerable to the pneumonia that killed him.
What We Can Learn From Glenn's Struggle
Honestly, looking back at Glenn Frey's health history, it’s a miracle he stayed as active as he did for so long. He was a "workout warrior," according to Bob Seger, trying to outrun his genetics and his illnesses through sheer discipline.
If you or a loved one are dealing with similar autoimmune issues, there are a few heavy takeaways from this tragedy:
- The Balancing Act is Real: Managing multiple chronic conditions (like RA and Colitis) requires a "whole body" approach. Treating one can often flare up the other.
- Immune Awareness: If you are on biologics or steroids for arthritis, you have to treat a simple cold or cough like a five-alarm fire. You don't have the "armor" other people do.
- Advocacy Matters: The lawsuit filed by the Frey family underscores how important it is to have a medical team that talks to each other. The rheumatologist needs to be on speed dial with the gastroenterologist.
Glenn Frey's death wasn't just a loss for music; it was a stark reminder of the complexity of modern medicine. He gave us everything on stage while his body was essentially at war with itself.
To manage your own health risks if you share any of these conditions, ensure you have a primary care physician who acts as a "quarterback" for all your specialists. Never assume one doctor knows what the other is prescribing. Stay vigilant about vaccines and early signs of respiratory distress, especially if you're on immunosuppressants.