Christine McVie’s Cause of Death Revealed

Following the death of Fleetwood Mac legend Christine McVie in November at age 79, her cause of death was revealed on Thursday (April 6).

The star died of a stroke, with a secondary cause of death listed as cancer, according to her death certificate obtained by People and first reported by The Blast. McVie suffered an ischemic stroke, which happens due to decreased blood flow to particular areas of the brain, according to the National Institute of Health. She also reportedly had “metastatic malignancy of unknown primary origin,” which indicates that cancer cells were found in her body but medical professionals were unable to determine where the cells spread from, according to the National Cancer Institute.

McVie died on November 30 at age 79. The late icon’s family shared the news via a statement posted to Facebook, which noted that she passed away at a hospital “following a short illness.”

“She was in the company of her family,” the statement continued. “We kindly ask that you respect the family’s privacy at this extremely painful time, and we would like everyone to keep Christine in their hearts and remember the life of an incredible human being, and revered musician who was loved universally.”

Fleetwood Mac also shared a band statement, in which they wrote, “She was truly one-of-a-kind, special and talented beyond measure. She was the best musician anyone could have in their band and the best friend anyone could have in their life. We were so lucky to have a life with her.”