LONDON — Bee Gees pop legend Robin Gibb was in a coma Saturday amid fears he has only days to live, with the 62-year-old star’s family keeping a bedside vigil.
Gibb has been battling colon and liver cancer and now has pneumonia. Family and fans of the Bee Gee were praying for his survival late Friday.
The singer, whose many hits include “How Deep Is Your Love,” recently appeared to have made a miracle recovery. But doctors now believe a secondary tumor is present — and he has developed pneumonia.
Gibb’s wife Dwina, brother Barry, 65, daughter Melissa, 37, and sons Spencer, 39, and Robin-John, 29, were at his bedside in a private hospital in Chelsea, West London.
A family friend said, “Our prayers are with Robin. He has kept so positive and always believed he could beat this.”
“Sadly, it looks like he has developed pneumonia, which is very bad in his situation. If there is anyone you would put money on pulling through such a dire situation, it would be Robin because he is a fighter. But this is a battle he will struggle to win,” the friend added.
Gibb’s health problems began in October 2010, when he had emergency surgery to treat a blocked bowel. He then had further surgery to treat a twisted bowel — the condition that killed his twin brother Maurice nine years ago at the age of 53.
Colon cancer was diagnosed and it spread to his liver.
As he battled to recover, the star launched into composing a requiem for the Titanic, the doomed ship for which he has had a lifelong fascination.
The music, co-written with his son Robin-John, premiered in central London on Thursday. Sadly, Robin was too ill to attend.