Yahoo News Pop Idol singer Darius Campbell Danesh's heart doubled in size prior to his death
His girlfriend says it was a "fitting" discovery.
Late singer Darius Campbell Danesh's heart was twice its natural size leading up to his death, it's been revealed.
Just under a year ago, the memorable Pop Idol contestant's body was discovered in his Minnesotan apartment, with an autopsy later confirming that the 41-year-old had accidentally passed away from the "toxic effects of Chloroethane" - a painkiller he'd used to combat a severe neck injury.
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According to his girlfriend Lauren Cheek, who recently spoke to The Sun, an undetected heart malformation did not complement this substance.
"He didn't want to take pills, not even aspirin," she said. "That's what killed him — the substance mixed with his heart and he couldn't take it.
"Darius was living with this heart condition that he didn't know he had," the American continued.
"So many things could have taken him, but this one thing did, and he died in his sleep. His mum told me they only found out after they did the autopsy. His heart was twice the size it was supposed to be, which was fitting, because that is genuinely how he was — he had so much love."
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Following the tragic news of Danesh's death, the likes of Simon Cowell, Gareth Gates, Pete Waterman, Myleene Klass and Nicki Chapman all paid tribute to him.
"I first saw Darius on television over 20 years ago and I got to know him really well. He was charismatic, funny and just a great person to be with. His passing, for someone so young, is an absolute tragedy and my heart goes out to his family and friends," read Cowell's statement.
Watch: Gerard Butler pays tribute to late Pop Idol actor Darius Campbell Danesh
