The love child of Irish rock star Van Morrison with his late American lover Gigi Lee has died aged just 13 months.
Van Morrison had the boy, George Ivan Morrison III, with Gigi Lee, who, it was revealed last week, had died of cancer in October, aged 44.
Now it has been disclosed that George Ivan Morrison III – known as “Little Van” – died 11 months ago.
The news has shocked friends of Gigi Lee, who are already trying to come to terms with her death after a long battle with throat cancer.
Gigi Lee’s friend, Carla Higdon, 46, said: “It is so incredibly sad. I am devastated.”
Gigi Lee died at a hospice in Belfast after moving to Northern Ireland to be close to Little Van’s father, Van Morrison, who lives in Dublin with his wife Michelle Rocca.
Van Morrison and his lover Gigi Lee in November 2009, one month before their child was born
The intensely private Van Morrison, known for hits such as Brown Eyed Girl, attempted to keep his relationship with Gigi Lee secret.
Van Morrison issued a series of court orders to try to prevent the press mentioning the existence of the child.
Gigi Lee gave birth to Little Van in December 2009 and arranged to have a statement announcing it appears on Van Morrison’s official website just after Christmas.
The message was quickly removed after Van Morrison branded it a hoax and denied ever meeting Gigi Lee. But it was later revealed Gigi Lee had been made a director of 14 of his companies in the months before she give birth to Little Van.
Gigi Lee, the daughter of a businessman, was dating a Fleetwood Mac roadie and working as an office manager when she first met Van Morrison in 1998.
According to friends, Gigi Lee was diagnosed with cancer two months before her son was born.
Carla Higdon said: “She pulled back her hair and showed me a lump in her neck. It was huge. It was like the skin around it had caved in.
“They told her that the tumor had wound itself around her carotid artery and if they tried to remove it, her face would be paralyzed and her speech would be impaired.
“She was in great pain and was very shaken. She was afraid most of all for the baby.”
Carla Higdon also said the doctors told Gigi Lee she could have radiation treatment after the baby was born. The child’s sudden death came “as a total shock”, according to a British acquaintance of Gigi Lee.
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