Pop icon George Michael opened up about his month-long bout of pneumonia and revealed it was nearly fatal, the Sun reports. "Well, I would say it was touch and go for a couple of weeks," the singer said outside his London mansion Friday, breaking into tears. "We played it down, I didn't want to worry my fans too much." Suddenly sick, Michael was rushed to a Vienna hospital last month and had to cancel the rest of his Symphonica world tour.
Looking gaunt in a coat and scarf, Michael said doctors gave him a tracheotomy—meaning they cut a hole in his throat to allow him to breathe. "If I wasn't spiritual enough before the last four or five weeks—I certainly am now," he said. "I feel amazing. I mean, I'm very weak, but I feel amazing." He promised to perform for his doctors in Austria and for every fan who paid to see him on tour. He also broke his 37-day Twitter silence, posting, "Hey everyone, your favourite homo is home :)))."