BlinkD

Here's Who Inherited David Bowie's Fortune After He Died

David Bowie learned he had liver cancer 18 months before he died, and he kept his illness secret from the public as he underwent treatment, The Guardian reported. In the last months of his life, he kept working and producing his art — an off-Broadway musical called "Lazarus" and his 25th album, "Blackstar," per BBC. As reported by Rolling Stone, the latter was released two days before he died, and many consider his parting gift to the world, even as Bowie only found out his cancer was terminal three months before he died. Still, he had to have known death from the disease was a possibility.

According to The New York Times, while Bowie left his fortune to his most beloved family and friends, he wanted his body to be cremated in Bali and his ashes scattered there "in accordance with the Buddhist rituals of Bali." Atlas Obscura described the "Ngaben" as a nearly two-week-long death ritual that combines "celebration with sorrow." The goal is to help the spirit move on from its earthly form to either reincarnate or rest eternally in what is called "Moksha." 

The New York Times reported Bowie was cremated in New Jersey, and it's unclear if the ashes ever made it to Bali. But in 2017, his son Duncan denied rumors that Bowie's ashes were scattered at a Burning Man Festival and said that the whereabouts of Bowie's ashes were being kept secret. 

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7qL7Up56eZpOkunCCkWlncWpfnbKzsdJmrqGnXZ67qbHRoquenF2Zrre1w2aZqK%2BZmsBuss6rq66mlWKup8DEq2ShnV2Ztqawjg%3D%3D

Noelle Montes

Update: 2024-05-04