<p>Ailing Tom Petty</a> spent his final days wracked with pain and depressed, knowing he was facing the final curtain, close pals reveal.</p><br /><p>“Tom was far sicker than anyone thought or suspected,” revealed a source. “He was ready to die!”</p><br /><p>The “Damn the Torpedoes” rocker — who passed away at age 66 on Oct. 2 after suffering a massive heart attack — needed vitamin shots to boost his energy, and was set for hip replacement surgery, insiders said.</p><br /><p>After being a hardcore road warrior for most of his 40-plus-year career, Petty was forced to cancel three shows in late August because he was too ill to take the stage!</p><br /><p>“I don’t think I’ve missed a show in many, many years,” he sadly admitted in his final interview.</p><br /><p>Petty — lead singer of the Heartbreakers and co-founder of the supergroup the Traveling Wilburys — had been “too frail” and worked himself “too hard” during his final tour, sources said.</p><br /><p>“Tom hadn’t been doing well for a while, and when the band got back from London, he seemed to be on his last legs,” spilled a longtime friend.</p><br /><p>The singer’s dire health made performing difficult, and he needed regular injections to even muster the strength to perform, insiders revealed.</p><br /><p>“Back in the ’90s, Tom had a very bad heroin habit, and it left him with muscle and bone pain,” tattled a source. “Recently, Tom had to be given vitamin B12 shots — 30 or 40 units a day — just to give him the energy to perform! Tom was in severe pain. He was due to have a hip replacement and was exhausted from working his butt off…His family begged him to rest up, but he vowed to finish the tour for his fans.”</p><br /><p>When Tom took the stage for the final time at the Hollywood Bowl on Sept. 25, he considered it his farewell to loyal followers, insiders said.</p><br /><p>“Tom knew there wouldn’t be any more shows,” a source confessed. “He wanted to go out on top. He blew the place away!”<br /><br />When the concert ended, insiders revealed, he was in a virtual state of collapse.</p><br /><p>“Tom left it all on stage,” the source spilled. “Unfortunately, it cost him his life!”</p><br /><p>Just days later, on Oct. 1, Tom’s second wife, Dana, frantically called 911 at around 10:50 p.m.</a> after finding him unconscious on the floor of their Malibu home.</p><br /><p>After being told the singer wasn’t breathing, the dispatcher began talking her through performing CPR.</p><br /><p>Dana got him breathing “very shallow breaths,” and was told to stop the CPR, roll Tom onto his left side, and wait for paramedics.</p><br /><p>The three-time Grammy Award winner was taken to UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica and put on life support. He showed no brain activity.</p><br /><p>A chaplain was called to administer last rites, and Tom was taken off life support after his family signed a “do not resuscitate” order.</p><br /><p>The “Free Fallin’ ” singer was pronounced dead at 8:40 p.m. in the hospital on Oct. 2 surrounded by family, friends and bandmates, said longtime manager Tony Dimitriades.</p><br /><p>“Tom knew he gave everything he had to rock ’n’ roll and his fans,” the source said. “He was ready to go.”</p><br /><p> </p><br /><p>Watch the video above and don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube Channel</a>!</p><br /><p>The post Inside Rocker Tom Petty's Last Days, Close Pals Tell All</a> appeared first on Star Magazine</a>.</p><br />
