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Justin M. Bowen
Clark County Coroner Michael Murphy discusses the cause of death Tuesday afternoon of Las Vegas entertainer Danny Gans.
Published Tuesday, June 9, 2009 | 2:58 p.m.
Updated Wednesday, June 10, 2009 | 10:19 a.m.
Danny Gans Memorial Service
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diggFriends and family remember Danny Gans at the Encore Theater on May 21.
The last act starred a head-shaven coroner and a physician who greatly resembles longtime Vegas stand-up Pete Barbutti. The room was small, but filled. It would have been a fitting setting for a lounge show if not for the gravity of the subject: The official cause of death of Danny Gans, who was discovered having trouble breathing by his wife, Julie, about 3:44 a.m. May 1. He was pronounced dead soon after.
Clark County Coroner Mike Murphy, flanked on his left by medical examiner Dr. Gary Telgenhoff, who performed the autopsy on Gans, addressed the media from a conference room at the coroner’s office. Those in attendance were many of the media members I’ve seen at Gans’ performances throughout the years. The expected medical jargon spilled out at once: The official cause of Gans’ death was listed on sheets of paper and distributed to everyone on hand. To boil this down to English, Gans died as a result of suffering a toxic reaction to the painkiller Dilaudid, an opiate similar to morphine. Murphy said Gans was taking the pain medication to treat chronic pain syndrome, a contributing cause of his death. Murphy refused to use the term “overdose,” as it’s not a medically applied term used in the cause of death.
Gans, a sturdily built age 52 at the time of his death, also suffered from hypertensive cardiovascular disease and a condition known as polycythemia, described by Murphy as a red blood cell disorder that has the opposite effect as anemia -- the person suffers an abundance of red blood cells, in effect.
Officially, the explanation has been made public. But the discussion of Gans’ death likely won’t cease for some time, as observers remember his reputation for missing shows for somewhat unexplained reasons. One of the questions tossed out today was if any steroids were found in Gans’ system. Murphy responded that the only drugs identified were those who contributed to his death -- the painkillers. The questions will continue, the rumors probably won’t abate.
But at this moment, I remember a master showman and a family man who, tragically, wasn’t nearly as healthy as his image onstage.
Testerone supplementation could cause an excess of red blood cells.
Wasn't as healthy as he appeared in many ways...
Yes, he carried ADDICTION well......unlike Elvis.
Just so sad. Thanks for a nicely written article, John. Some of the posts I've read in connection with this matter are absolutely disgusting-one poster actually suggested Mrs. Gans should be "investigated" so as to find out if she is a "drug addict, too".
What is wrong with people? Mean, judgemental busybodies who seem to thrive on kicking someone when they are down. Danny was such an asset to this community and he deserves to be left in peace. I hope his family is doing okay, under the circumstances.
Danny Gans was an amazing man and a tremendous asset to Las Vegas in so many ways. You could probably say that his health may have suffered because he gave so much of himself. Who knows...
I would challenge anyone to get up on stage to perform several evenings per week for years with an act as grueling as Danny's and not have some kind of physical challenge as a result. He was only human and dealt with it as best he could. Who has any right to judge him or any other human being. My deepest condolences go out to his family.
I show up for work every day, it's a pain in the ass, but I need to support my family. Danny Gans was just like every guy who provides for his wife and kids. But don't tell me he needed synthetic morphine to treat his aching shoulder. Christ, I've used tons of Vicodin for my rotten Marathon knees, and finally kicked the habit, and just live with the pain day to day. Danny Gans was a doper, pure and simple. You all know it, so let's get over it....
Saw Danny twice, last time was two months ago at the Wynn/Encore.. simply a fabulous entertainer... for nearly two hours your transfixed on Danny's awesome talent. I will remember the Danny the entertainer, the community activist and the loving family man. bdover, sorry no ones purfect like you!
People act like you can't be a prescription drug user/or/addict and still love your family, be a "good guy," do good work (performances) and give a lot to charity.
You can be all of those things at the same time. Just because Danny appears to have died from an accidental OD, it doesn't take away from all of the good he did and the apparently God-loving person he was.
On the other hand, it doesn't dismiss the truth that he had some sort of problem with painkillers. Could any of us with even chronic shoulder pain go to our doctor and say, "Can you get me some Dilaudid? Yeah, you know, the stuff they give to cancer patients to manage their pain on their deathbed?"
Dilaudid is called "drug-store heroin" for a reason, folks.
Narcissa,
You said...
"one poster actually suggested Mrs. Gans should be "investigated" so as to find out if she is a "drug addict, too".
...but he actually said...
"I'd like to see Danny's wife's take a drug test; if there's one junkie in the house there's a good chance there's another one in there to."
...big difference there, as your use of the word "should" implies some kind of moral imperative, which the poster never implied. The poster simply points out the obvious that if there is drug abuse in the family, like there was in the Gans family, that more than likely there will be more than one drug abuser(see Roger Clemens for example). In this particular case, the poster is probably wrong as Mrs Gans has gone on record to express her shock and no prior knowledge of her husband's use of Dilaudid.
I just don't inderstand what you're complaining about? Sure DG was a good man, a good entertainer, a good Christian, etc. but that doesn't mean we lie about his drub abuse. It's even more important to state the truth about it in order to show the insidious evil and danger of using these drugs!
Go straight to the Pharmaceutical companies and doctors who prescribe prescription drugs at the drop of a hat and advertise them on TV as if they are M&M's.
hey when you have lots of money - you take stuff and sometimes mixture of different drugs causes a toxic build up - elvis all over again