After 70 years of making music, Quincy Jones died at the age of 91. The father of seven and 28-time Grammy Award winner battled several health setbacks over the years, though his cause of death was not revealed. Over the past several years of his life, Jones opened up about managing brain aneurysms in addition to a diabetic coma — both of which happened at different times.
Learn about Jones’ health, below.
Quincy Jones’ Brain Aneurysms
In a June 2018 Facebook post, Jones shared the details about his past aneurysms, which “felt like a shotgun was fired inside of [his] head.” He was just 41 when he suffered from the health scare.
“Back in 1974, I suffered an aneurysm (a weakness in the main artery to the brain that caused it to pop) & it felt like a shotgun was fired inside of my head [sic],” the late jazz artist wrote.
Jones also described the operation he underwent, which took more than seven hours. After the doctors “discovered a second aneurysm that was ready to blow,” he said they “had to schedule a second operation.” The ordeal, Jones noted, led his friends to plan a funeral in case he died during the second operation.
“During this time, it didn’t look too promising, so my friends planned a memorial service for me at The Shrine in LA, & I basically attended my own funeral [sic],” Jones admitted. “Man, everyone was there … Sidney Poitier, Sarah Vaughan, you name it. It was special to see so many people there to celebrate what would’ve been my 41 years of life, but to now be in London getting ready for my 85th birthday celebration concert tomorrow at The O2 is absolutely unbelievable.”
Following the operation, Jones recalled being told that he could “never” play the trumpet again “because of the metal implants.” Nevertheless, he persevered, noting that he wouldn’t let the health setback “stop [him] from pursuing other passions.”
“If I sat around feeling sorry for myself, I would’ve never gone on to do ‘Thriller,’ ‘We are the World,’ ‘The Color Purple,’ or anything else that happened post ’74,” Jones pointed out, before adding that he only had a “1 in 100 chance of survival at the time.”
The “Heaven’s Girl” artist concluded his Facebook post by writing, “I can truthfully say that I’ve attended my own funeral at age 41 & my own birthday celebration at 85, & I’d take the second over the first, any time [sic]!!”
What Is a Brain Aneurysm?
A brain aneurysm is a “bulge or ballooning in a blood vessel in the brain,” according to Mayo Clinic. While aneurysms are common, the medical website points out that a “ruptured aneurysm” can be life-threatening.
Quincy Jones Lived Through a ‘Diabetic Coma’
While taking to Facebook in December 2019, Jones recalled the second health scare he experienced and how he managed it.
“In 2015, I went into a diabetic coma & took what should’ve been my last breath [sic],” the “Thriller” collaborator wrote. “By the grace of God, I made it through, but not without having to make some MAJOR adjustments. Having come up with the likes of Ray Charles & Frank Sinatra, I had enough alcohol to last multiple lifetimes, & the doctors told me I had to call it quits [sic]!!”
Jones then noted that he substituted drinking alcohol with “eating sugar free popsicles,” he managed to lose 50 pounds and “started feeling 37 again.”
What Is a Diabetic Coma?
A diabetic coma is a “life-threatening disorder that causes unconsciousness,” per Mayo Clinic, and it’s caused by “diabetes, dangerously high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) or dangerously low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).”
What Was Quincy Jones’ Cause of Death?
Jones’ cause of death has not been revealed yet. The late pop artist died on November 3, 2024, his family confirmed in a statement honoring his contributions to music.
