The cause of death for founding member of Depeche Mode Andy Fletcher has been revealed. Fletcher passed away last month at the age of 60. His cause of death has been confirmed to be due to aortic dissection, an uncommon, but serious condition in which a tear forms in the main artery, or aorta, of the heart. This further causes the separation of vital parts of the artery and eventually results in death.

Consequence Sound reports that Fletcher’s bandmates Martin Gore and Dave Gahan confirmed Fletcher’s cause of death in a heartfelt instagram post:

 

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A post shared by Depeche Mode (@depechemode)

Fletcher was a keyboardist for Depeche Mode and a much-loved member of the band. His death came as a shock when it was first reported last month. Fletcher had not been struggling with his health publicly; his fellow bandmates also expressed shock and sadness at the sudden turn of events when announcing his passing last month.

Their most recent statement both elucidated matters for fans and showed gratitude for their well wishes. Fletchers bandmates signed off the letter by writing, “So thank you for all of the love you’ve shown Andy and his family and friends over the last few weeks. It honestly means the world to all of us. Andy, you’ll be missed, but certainly not forgotten.”

Photo Credit: Owen Ela