Did Prince Have Health Problems?

While people all over the world mourn the unimaginable death of Prince, many are attempting to wrap their heads around the shocking tragedy and how the iconic singer could pass away so suddenly at age 57. While the Carver County Sheriff's Office told Bustle in a statement that they "are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding his death," as more information comes out, it seems that Prince was allegedly suffering from health problems prior to his death.

Responding to a medical call, deputies and medical personnel found Prince unresponsive in an elevator in Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, Minnesota on Thursday, Carver County Sheriff Jim Olsen told Bustle in a statement. He was pronounced dead at 10:07 AM after attempts to revive him were unsuccessful.

Just weeks before his untimely death, the "Purple Rain" singer canceled a couple of shows on his Prince, A Piano, and A Microphone tour. At the time, his rep told TMZ that Prince had been "fighting the flu" for several weeks but was determined to perform in Atlanta on April 14 even though he was still unwell. When flying from Georgia after the concert, however, the singer's private plane was forced to make an emergency landing in Illinois, "just 48 minutes from his home," TMZ reports, because Prince was feeling worse. He was then hospitalized, treated, and released — and even came on stage during a dance party he organized to thank his fans, during which he reportedly showed off his instruments, played the piano, and told the audience, "Wait a few days before you waste any prayers."

TMZ is now reporting that Prince allegedly visited his local Walgreens pharmacy four times in the last week — most recently as Wednesday, April 20, the day before his death.

Over the years, Prince has suffered from various health issues, including epilepsy and hip problems. "I've never spoken about this before but I was born epileptic," he revealed to Tavis Smiley on PBS in 2009. "I used to have seizures when I was young. My mother and father didn't know what to do or how to handle it but they did the best they could with what little they had."

"My mother told me one day I walked in to her and said, 'Mom, I'm not going to be sick anymore,' and she said 'Why?' and I said 'Because an angel told me so,'" he recalled. "Now, I don't remember saying it, that's just what she told me."

Later in his life, according to TIME, Prince became a Jehovah's Witness — a religion that does not allow blood transfusions. According to Today, the singer reportedly needed a double hip replacement but allegedly refused to undergo surgery due to his faith.

A source told People, Prince was so intensely private about his health struggles and personal life that it is unsurprising that his death seemed to come out of nowhere. "If he was ill or suffering, that’s not something you would reasonably expect to know," the insider said. "It’s not surprising to me that [his death] was surprising."