According to The Hollywood Reporter, Bob Welch died by suicide on June 7, 2012, in the Nashville home he shared with his wife, Wendy. Police later determined that he died from a gunshot and that he had left a note for Wendy that detailed the medical issues he was dealing with. As noted by the publication, Welch was not expected to recover from the spinal surgery he'd had three months prior and was concerned he might be too much of a burden for Wendy.
Welch's friend, National Songwriters Association Executive Director Bart Herbison, shared some of the details the former Fleetwood Mac singer/guitarist included in the note for his wife. "It had become apparent to Bob that he was not going to recover, that he was going to become an invalid," he explained. "He had seen his father become an invalid and watched his mother care for him for many years. In the letter he left, he told Wendy, 'I'm not going to do this to you.'"
Tributes poured in for Welch following his death, including one from Fleetwood Mac drummer Mick Fleetwood, who referred to his former bandmate as a "profoundly intelligent human being" and gave particular praise to his skills as a songwriter, per NME. Vocalist Stevie Nicks, who joined the band along with then-boyfriend Lindsey Buckingham after Welch left in 1974, described him as an "amazing guitar player" and noted that he was a "funny, sweet, [and] smart" individual.
If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
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