Tragedy for Van Morrison as mother of his youngest son dies aged 44
- Gigi Lee thought to have died of cancer in Belfast hospice
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Singing legend Van Morrison has been left devastated by the death of Gigi Lee, the mother of his youngest child.
The Texan beauty, who shocked the world of music when she announced she was the mother of his secret baby, has died of cancer aged just 44.
Gigi is understood to have died two months ago while being cared for in a Belfast hospice.
Private: Irish singer Morrison spent years trying to keep his relationship with Gigi under wraps
According to probate court records in Tarrant County, Texas, an action has been registered on the estate of ‘Gigi Ann Lee, deceased’. The date of death in the files is given as October 7, 2011.
Gigi had moved to Ireland from the US with little George Ivan Morrison the Third to be near the child’s father.
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ShareDays Like This singer Morrison is believed to have made regular visits to her from his home in Killiney, south Dublin, which he shared with his wife, Michelle Rocca.
Gigi is known to have suffered from inoperable throat cancer and her death on October 7 was kept a closely guarded secret.
Best friend Carla Higdon revealed: ‘It started with a lump in her neck. Around August or September of 2009, it was diagnosed as cancer.
‘The tumour had wrapped itself around an artery so they couldn’t do surgery. Van was very worried for her. I think he loved her and I know she loved him.
‘She had it for quite a while before she was pregnant. Finally they suggested chemo. She agreed to undergo it after she was assured it wouldn’t hurt the baby.
Miss Higdon added: ‘She tried so hard to beat this. She was even talking about having another baby, so Little Van would have a friend if anything happened to her.
'She was scared. It’s very sad.’
She died in the Marie Curie Hospice in east Belfast and her address is given as Newtownards, Co Down, a home the rock star is believed to have bought for her and their son.
Morrison’s name is understood not to appear on her death certificate.
The news will be a massive blow to the intensely private Van, who spent years trying to keep the relationship under wraps.
The 66-year-old singer even went as far as issuing a series of court injunctions to try to muzzle the media reporting on the birth.
Gigi gave birth in December 2009 and arranged to have a statement appear on Van’s official website four days after Christmas.
The statement read: ‘Gigi and Van Morrison are proud to announce the birth of their first-born son, Little Van, born Dec 28, 2009 - the spitting image of his daddy. He is a dual citizen of Northern Ireland/UK and the United States.’
This message amazed fans as there had been no indication that Morrison, who has a middle-aged daughter from his first marriage to Janet ‘Planet’ Rigsbee, and two children with his wife Michelle Rocca, was in a new relationship.
The message was quickly removed from the website after the Belfast singer branded it a hoax and denied ever meeting Gigi.
He issued a statement that said: ‘I have asked my management team to carry out an immediate inquiry into a hacking attack which took place on my official website on December 29.
‘The comments which appeared… are completely and utterly without foundation.
'For the avoidance of all doubt and in the interests of clarity, I am very happily married to Michelle Morrison with whom I have two children. We spent a quiet Christmas all together in Dublin.’
It was later revealed that Gigi had been made a director of 14 of his companies in the months before she gave birth to their child.
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