It’s been just over a week since the death of the legendary David Bowie, and the world continues to mourn the loss of this great musician. Bowie’s son Duncan Jones has made a brief return to social media for the first time since his father’s death to share a “thank you letter” sent to him by a palliative care specialist. Jones has kept a low profile since announcing the death of his father.
Very sorry and sad to say it’s true. I’ll be offline for a while. Love to all. pic.twitter.com/Kh2fq3tf9m
— Duncan Jones (@ManMadeMoon) January 11, 2016
Jones has now shared a tweet from the Marie Curie association, to an open letter written by palliative care consultant Dr Mark Taubert.
A thank you letter to David Bowie from a palliative care doctor. https://t.co/ibFYRY8wc1 – thanks for sharing @DrMarkTaubert
— Marie Curie (@mariecurieuk) January 17, 2016
Taubert, based at Velindre NHS Trust in Cardiff, Wales, wrote in the British Medical Journal, that “[Bowie’s] story became a way for us to communicate very openly about death, something many doctors and nurses struggle to introduce as a topic of conversation.” As a result, Taubert was able to branch the difficult topic of death with a terminally ill patient.
Taubert then speaks of Bowie’s final album and single. “Thank you for Lazarus and Blackstar. I am a palliative care doctor, and what you have done in the time surrounding your death has had a profound effect on me and many people I work with. Your album is strewn with references, hints and allusions.
“I have often heard how meticulous you were in your life. For me, the fact that your gentle death at home coincided so closely with the release of your album, with its goodbye message, in my mind is unlikely to be coincidence. All of this was carefully planned, to become a work of death art.”
In the lengthy post, Taubert also spoke about the nature of the care Bowie may have received in regards to his illness and that he may have signed order not to be resuscitated in the event of death. “I think if you were ever to return (as Lazarus did), you would be a firm advocate for good palliative care training being available everywhere.”
Read the full post here.
The tribute is just one of many, joining memorials including a parade held by Arcade Fire, astronauts writing tributes from space and SNL hosting a special to honour Bowie’s memory. Bowie’s album Blackstar has gone on to earn him his first US number 1.