Backing vocalist Shirley Lewis reveals how the late pop icon came to her rescue in a moment of desperation—one of many untold stories of his compassion.
Since his passing in 2016, stories of George Michael’s quiet generosity have continued to emerge, painting a portrait of a star whose heart was as big as his fame. The latest to share such a story is his longtime backing vocalist, Shirley Lewis, who recently opened up about the life-changing kindness George extended to her during one of her darkest moments.
In an interview with The Mirror, Lewis revealed that during a turbulent period in her life—when her marriage to Bros drummer Luke Goss was crumbling—she found herself struggling financially, worrying about how to provide for her daughter. She even resorted to selling her watch for £5,000, only to tragically misplace the envelope of cash.
Desperate and overwhelmed, Lewis broke down in tears during a phone call with George. “He asked what was wrong and I told him my husband and I were in a really bad place and I’d lost some cash,” she recounted. “He said he was going to give me some money and hung up. The next day, I woke up to find £50,000 in my account.”
Lewis said she immediately called him, insisting she couldn’t accept the money. But George wouldn’t hear of it. “He told me he didn’t want me to worry,” she said.
George Michael, who died on Christmas Day in 2016, was known for countless anonymous acts of kindness during his lifetime. From secretly funding a woman’s IVF treatment after seeing her on a TV show, to tipping a waitress thousands of pounds after overhearing her financial woes, Michael gave quietly, without fanfare.
The pop legend, who rose to global stardom with Wham! in the 1980s and later as a solo artist, sold over 120 million records and left behind a fortune estimated at £97 million ($120 million).
Though gone, George Michael’s legacy lives on—not only through his music, but also through these stories of compassion and humanity, now finally coming to light.