Behind the Death of “Take Me Home Tonight” Singer Eddie Money

On September 13, 2019, the world lost an icon with the death of Eddie Money. The singer’s voice was beloved around the world for such signature hits as “Take Me Home Tonight,” “Baby Hold On,” and “Two Tickets to Paradise,” among countless others. Money, who was born Edward Mahoney, died following complications from esophageal cancer and a heart condition, his family launched a formal complaint against the facility where he was receiving treatment in the aftermath. But Money’s voice still lives on in his familiar classics.

Who Was Eddie Money?

After going through a series of career changes ranging from police officer to typist, Money committed to pursuing his true passion for music in 1968 when he fled from one coast to the other, moving from his native New York City to Berkeley, California, near San Francisco. While performing in clubs in the area, he caught the attention of an executive at Columbia Records, who signed him to a record deal. He proved his star power when his debut single, “Baby Hold On” hit No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100. This set the stage for several other career-defining hits like “Take Me Home Tonight” which was a Top 5 hit and earned him his one and only Grammy nomination for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male. “Walk on Water,” “Peace in Our Time” and “I’ll Get By” are some of his other signature tunes.

Though Money was a mainstay on the charts throughout the 1980s, he did face personal challenges behind the scenes. He struggled with addiction throughout his career and suffered an accidental overdose in 1980 on a synthetic depressant drug that he thought was cocaine. This caused damage to a nerve in his leg that left him with a permanent limp. Money later went to rehab and had been sober since 2003.

How Did He Die?

In July 2019, Money underwent surgery for a heart valve replacement and developed pneumonia soon thereafter. A month later, he revealed that he had stage four esophageal cancer that he ultimately died from on September 13 at the age of 70. In 2018, Money and his family were the focus of a reality TV show on AXS TV, Real Money. Money was diagnosed with cancer while filming the second season, which was airing on AXS TV at the time of the singer’s death.

His death was somewhat ominous, as he opened up in a Real Money preview clip in August 2019 about the diagnosis. “I thought I was just going in to get a checkup, and he told me I got cancer,” Money explained at the time, according to CNN. “Am I gonna live a long time? Who knows, it’s in God’s hands. But you know what? I’ll take every day I can get. Every day above ground is a good day.” The episode in which Money talked about the diagnosis aired one day before his death.

A year after he died, Money’s family filed a lawsuit against Keck Hospital at the University of Southern California where he was receiving treatment for medical malpractice and wrongful death in December 2020, according to ABC News. The family alleged that Money did not receive proper treatment for his condition and that he had been “negligently, recklessly and carelessly examined, diagnosed.” They also claimed that his condition worsened after leaving the hospital, forcing him to be re-admitted.

(Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images)