Here's What Really Happened To Bobby Caldwell And If He Was Actually Floxed?
Highlights
- Bobby Caldwell, a beloved musician known for hits like "What You Won't Do for Love," passed away after battling severe health issues.
- His widow, Mary Caldwell, attributed his decline to the adverse effects of fluoroquinolone antibiotics.
- Mary Caldwell is determined to raise awareness about the dangers of fluoroquinolones and prevent others from experiencing similar suffering.
Bobby Caldwell has been a stalwart in the music industry for decades, captivating audiences with timeless hits like ‘What You Won’t Do for Love,’ ‘Coming Down From Love,’ and ‘Can’t Say Goodbye.’ Defying age, the legendary crooner continued to grace the stage well into his late sixties, endearing himself to contemporary audiences with the moniker ‘Cool Uncle.’
The music world was, therefore, caught completely off guard when reports emerged that Caldwell had passed away after a prolonged health battle. The intrigue deepened further mere weeks later when his widow, Mary Caldwell, revealed that the legendary crooner's decline had been brought about by the sinister side effects of fluoroquinolone antibiotics, commonly known as being 'floxed'. So, what really happened to the R&B singer, and was he truly a victim of fluoroquinolone?
When Did Bobby Caldwell Pass Away?
Renowned for the iconic hit "What You Won't Do For Love," Bobby Caldwell earned his stripes as a rhythm guitarist alongside the legendary pianist and songwriter, Little Richard. By the late 1970s, Caldwell’s signature track was dominating the music chart, securing top-ten positions on Billboard magazine's Hot 100, R&B, and Hot Contemporary charts.
The song would go on to become one of the greatest hits of the late 1900s, inspiring the likes of Tupac Shakur, Boyz II Men, and Michael Bolton. Though none of his subsequent works could hold a candle to ‘What You Won't Do For Love,’ Caldwell continued to pursue his music career until his tragic passing in March 2023.
“Bobby passed away here at home,” his widow, Mary Caldwell announced on Twitter. “I held him tight in my arms as he left us. I am forever heartbroken. Thanks to all of you for your many prayers over the years."
Bobby Caldwell Was Battling Severe Health Issues Before His Death
Just weeks after announcing his passing, Mary Caldwell shed further light on the situation, unveiling that the R&B singer had endured a protracted health battle before his demise. Despite his challenges, Caldwell remained devoted to his music, even persevering to perform while grappling with incapacitating pain.
“He still toured, he still went up to shows and we’d kind of sneak him on to stage,” Mary revealed to Katie Couric in April. “He still wanted to sing, he wanted to do shows. We would try to hide the injury. He would have to sit behind the keyboard for the whole show. I remember hearing a guy yell out, “Stand up!” and he couldn’t."
According to his widow, the legendary crooner ceased performing only when live shows were temporarily suspended amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “He did shows for three years and then with COVID everything stopped so in a sense he didn’t have to say, “I quit,” it just kind of stopped,” she said. “He was literally living this tortured life, between the pain and the mobility issues.”
The protracted health battle came to an abrupt end in March 2023, when Caldwell passed away suddenly in his New Jersey home. “Eventually, something took him,” Mary Caldwell revealed. “I don’t know what it was, heart failure, something. I jumped in the chair with him and held on to him and he kind of leaned over and he was gone.”
How Did Bobby Caldwell Die And Was He Really ‘Floxed?’
Although an official cause of death has not yet been released, Caldwell's widow pointed to the adverse effects of fluoroquinolone, commonly referred to as being 'floxed,' as the root cause of his health struggles and subsequent demise.
According to her, Caldwell's health began declining in 2017, just before he was scheduled to embark on a tour of Japan. “It was my birthday in 2017, he was getting ready to go to Japan and he had a runny nose and a cough and he went to some clinic,” she said. “He got antibiotics and cough syrup and I thought nothing of it.”
As per Mary, the legendary crooner started experiencing adverse effects related to fluoroquinolone toxicity seven days after his clinic visit. “On the day he started those antibiotics, he’s doing a promo for a tour in Japan, and I’m watching it, and he’s fine,” she said. “Up until that seventh pill, life was great, and it was literally like the curtain came down, everything changed.”
By the seventh day, the once-active Caldwell was already confined to his bed, plagued by excruciating pain in his Achilles tendons. “I had gotten up early and I went upstairs and he was still laying in bed and he says, “[Mary] I can’t stand up,” he’s like, “My Achilles, they’re killing me,”” his widow revealed.
“I looked and they were starting to swell,” she continued. “I knew in my gut that this was not good. He developed peripheral neuropathy, nerve damage. He was in pain 24 hours a day seven days a week.”
Caldwell’s condition continued to deteriorate as the years went on, ultimately forcing Mary to take on the role of caregiver. "The romantic relationship evolved into a patient-caretaker dynamic, but when I exchanged those wedding vows, I was truly committed to honoring them,” Mary revealed. “The promise of 'good times and bad, in sickness and in health' was something I wholeheartedly embraced."
While an official medical report is still pending, Mary Caldwell remains convinced that her husband's tragic fate could've been averted through safer prescribing practices.
“There’s basically nothing I wouldn’t do to prevent another soul enduring this,” she said. “When I say it never should have happened, it never should have happened. I will guarantee you that there are many people out there suffering and they never put two and two together that maybe they had a sinus infection or UTI and now they can’t walk right. I believe that there are still a lot of physicians, medical types, and just the public like ourselves that have no idea about these fluoroquinolones.”
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