While many facets of George Michael’s life were sensationalised and made public, the incredible star was quietly doing good deeds that not many new about.
As the world mourns the 53-year-old’s death, which was reported on Christmas day, people are starting to share stories of the pop star’s acts of kindness.
Anecdotes about his generosity never made the tabloids when accounts of his sexual encounters in toilets, mishaps, arrests and drug-taking were far more sensationalized. But now that he has passed on, stories of his humble philanthropy are streaming in from around the world.
Here are some incredible moments that the incredible pop star should and now will always be remembered for.
Secretly volunteered at homeless shelter
It has emerged that George Michael was anonymously volunteering at a homeless shelter, and had asked other volunteers to keep it a secret.
Proving that he was not doing it for PR or looking for attention but rather, just to help out where he could.
https://twitter.com/EmilyneMondo/status/813319244242817025
Anonymously donated millions to Childline
Childline’s founder and president Dame Esther Rantzen told the Press Association…
“For years now he has been the most extraordinarily generous philanthropist, giving money to Childline, but he was determined not to make his generosity public so no-one outside the charity knew how much he gave to the nation’s most vulnerable children.
“Over the years he gave us millions and we were planning next year, as part of our 30th anniversary celebrations to create, we hoped, a big concert in tribute to him – to his artistry, to his wonderful musicality but also to thank him for the 100s of 1,000s of children he helped through supporting Childline.”
Anonymously donated £15k for a woman’s IVF treatment
Richard Osman, opened up that George Michael had anonymously donated £15,000 to a woman who couldn’t afford IVF.
Osman, who used to work as an executive producer on Deal or No Deal, shared the story on Twitter, saying: “A woman on Deal Or No Deal told us she needed £15k for IVF treatment. George Michael secretly phoned the next day and gave her the £15k.”
But that’s not the only tale of his random acts of kindness emerging after his death.
All stories appearing of ££££ he's donated silently for people he's heard was in need, shows what a great guy he was #georgemichael RIP
— ✨Just Sparkle✨ (@Pop_Dazzle) December 26, 2016
Donated £25k to a stranger in debt
Replying to Richard Osman’s story, one person said George Michael had once been seen in a cafe helping out a stranger who was crying because she was in debt.
Not wanting her to know he was helping, he gave the waitress a cheque for £25,000 to give to her after he left.
he gave a stranger in a cafe £25k as she was crying over debt. Told the waitress to give her the cheque after he left.
— VectorVictoria (@V3ct0rv1ct0r) December 26, 2016
Kept small charities afloat
One woman also tweeted to say she had once spoken to someone from a charity who said they were “only afloat” because of George Michael.
A lady from a children's charity once told me they were only still afloat because of George Michael ❤ https://t.co/W0vs3QxN1E
— Kate Waugh (@katewaugh) December 26, 2016
Supported NHS nurses
In 2006, George held a special free concert for NHS nurses to attend in north London.
He announced he would be hosting the event as a special thank you to the nurses who had cared for his late mother.
At the time, nurses who attended spoke to the BBC about how it made them feel.
Susan Steadman said: “He made all of us feel special. People do say thank you, but for George to say it publicly feels good.”
Ranjani Kendrick said: “I had the time of my life. It was such a vibrant atmosphere. I thank George Michael for making us feel appreciated.
“We all were so touched by the comments he made. I am glad the work we do has not gone unnoticed.”
He’s since given free seats away to NHS nurses at other concerts.
George Michael used to give a bunch of free tickets to his shows to NHS nurses. He allocated a whole area of Wembley to nurses. DEMOGRAPHIC.
— Hayley Campbell (@hayleycampbell) December 26, 2016
Great music, stood up to bigotry & when his Mum died he held a free concert for the NHS nurses. Pure class. RIP George Michael
— Eddie Marsan (@eddiemarsan) December 26, 2016
George Michael used to give a bunch of free tickets to his shows to NHS nurses. He allocated a whole area of Wembley to nurses. DEMOGRAPHIC.
— Hayley Campbell (@hayleycampbell) December 26, 2016
Tipped barmaid £5k
Writer Sali Hughes revealed today that the anonymous celebrity she talked about in one of her pieces was actually George Michael.
She revealed how he had tipped a barmaid £5,000 because she was a student nurse and she was in debt.
https://twitter.com/salihughes/status/813348024063852544
Sent hundreds of kids to Lapland
It seems the pop-star’s philanthropy has stretched back over 20 years when he starting sponsoring family holidays for kids who couldn’t afford it.
Sue Clark told Mirror Online: “He didn’t want anyone to know or any publicity. An extremely kind man.
“Thanks, George, for the wonderful memories of Lapland. You will be remembered for your kindness and thoughtfulness as well as your music.”
Donated his royalties
George Michael donated all the royalties from his 1996 number one single Jesus To a Child to charity.
He performed on Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas.
Michael also donated the royalties from ‘Last Christmas/Everything She Wants’ to Ethiopian famine relief, and proceeds from ‘Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me’ went to Aids hospice London Lighthouse and the Rainbow Trust children’s charity.
Saved John Lennon’s piano
In the year 2000, George Michael bought John Lennon’s piano – on which he composed ‘Imagine’ – for £1.45million from a private collector, vowing to keep it in the UK.
He then donated it to the Beatles Story museum in Liverpool so that it could be kept in Lennon’s hometown forever.
George Michael bought John Lennon's white piano so it wouldn't go to a private collector – then donated it to the Beatles exhibition. Ledg.
— Jamie Crowther (@jambounchained1) December 26, 2016
Fans are marvelling at how he kept all of these acts of kindness quiet during his lifetime. Some are being brought to tears, while others are expressing that it’s a mark of the man he was.
George Michael also more publicly supported groups like HIV charity Terrence Higgins Trust, along with Band Aid and Live Aid, which raise money for anti-famine efforts.
We may never know the true extent of all George Michael’s public and private charity efforts. But the truth is that the world has truly lost someone extraordinary.
by 