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Highlights

• Bob Marley refused amputation due to religious beliefs, leading to tragic consequences.
• Cancer spread throughout Marley's body despite alternative treatments aligned with his beliefs.
• Marley almost died in an assassination attempt at home in 1976.

Reggae music icon Bob Marley is one of the most recognizable and celebrated entertainers of the 20th century. Jamaica's most famous son, Marley mainstreamed reggae and became an international superstar. In his final years, he toured around the world to sold-out crowds.

While Marley achieved success in Jamaica in the early 1960s, his worldwide fame escalated with 1974's "Natty Dread", 1976's "Rastaman Vibration", and 1977's "Exodus" albums. At the height of his powers, Marley passed away in May 1981 at the young age of 36. Unfortunately, his passing was preventable. In this article, we will highlight how Bob Marley passed away, why his death was preventable, and how he almost passed away in 1976.

How Did Bob Marley Pass Away?

When Robert "Bob" Nesta Marley passed away on May 11, 1981, it not only impacted his family and friends, but his legions of international fans. The reggae legend was in his prime and became Jamaica's beloved ambassador. He even received a crowded state funeral, where approximately 100,000 people honored the music icon, according to Stylecaster. While Marley was at the top of his game in the late 1970s and early 1980s, he was dealing with a deeply personal health challenge. Since July 1977, Marley had been battling cancer.

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Marley was originally diagnosed with skin cancer on his toe, commonly thought to have been caused by a soccer accident. While he did injure himself during a game, Marley already had cancer and was not aware. The injury led to his eventual diagnosis, according to ati. After a biopsy confirmed Marley's cancer, the entertainer's doctor strongly advised a toe amputation to treat the cancer before it became more severe and life-threatening.

Marley, a devout Rastafarian, declined such an operation.

• This life-saving surgery went against his religious beliefs
• Marley's cancer was treated with less effective methods
• These treatment options had unfortunate consequences

While Marley eventually agreed to have a skin graft on his toe to help remove the cancer, it was not enough. Marley's best chance of survival was a full-toe amputation.

In 1980, doctors discovered that the cancer had spread around Marley's body, including his brain, according to Ati. Eventually, Marley's cancer spread to his :

• Liver
• Lungs

According to Marley's manager, a doctor reportedly said that the reggae legend had "more cancer in him than I've seen with a live human being." While Marley tried experimental treatments that were aligned with his Rastafarian beliefs in Germany, they proved to have no success. Marley eventually chose to return to Jamaica to live out his final days. Unfortunately, he never made it home. After Marley's health took a turn for the worse, he was brought to a hospital in Miami, Florida on his journey back to Jamaica. He succumbed to his illness on May 11th, 1981, nearly four years after he was first diagnosed.

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After his state funeral, Marley was laid to rest in a private mausoleum near his childhood home in Nine Mile, Jamaica. He was buried with one of his favorite guitars and a bible, according to Grunge. Fans can still visit Marley's birthplace and his tomb today on a guided tour.

How Did Bob Marley Almost Pass Away In 1976?

While Bob Marley lost his life in 1981 due to cancer, he almost passed away years before in 1976. Marley was not only a talented musician and singer, but an invested voice for Jamaica. He was an activist for peace and used his fame to fight for Jamaica's prosperity.

Unfortunately, Jamaica was going through a time of political turmoil in the 1970s and Marley had enemies. Marley was planning a concert to unite the Jamaican people. He wanted to use his music to give people a sense of hope. During rehearsals on December 3rd, 1976, multiple individuals paid Marley a visit at his home and attempted to assassinate him, according to Far Out.

Rita Marley, Marley's wife, was attacked and shot at first. She survived her injuries. Bob Marley was next. While one of the individuals tried to shoot Marley in his upper body area, the beloved singer was actually shot in the arm. This could have very well saved his life.

Tyrone Downie, who was a musician with Marley's group, remembered the horrifying incident with clarity. "At the moment when the gunmans broke in, we were rehearsing 'I Shot The Sheriff.' Bob had stepped out, 'cause the horns weren't on that record and the horn players wanted to play it...He came out of the rehearsal room and went into the kitchen to get a grapefruit or something...And all of a sudden you see a hand come through the door like, around the door, and start firing this .38."

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Marley was able to recover from his injuries and performed the concert he had planned, only two days after the attack. The attempt on Marley's life exemplified just how troubled Jamaica was and why the singer was so adamant about inspiring change.

Over forty years since his passing, Bob Marley remains a Jamaican cultural icon and one of the most famous international stars. According to Forbes, Marley is the ninth highest-paid deceased celebrity, with an estate valued at $16 million. He fought to make a difference and his work continues to inspire and unite people. Every generation, Marley receives new fans. His children, who have reaped the fruits of Marley's financial success, continue to help spread their father's message of hope. Songs that have become timeless classics include:

• "One Love"
• "Three Little Birds"
• "Stir It Up"
• "No Woman, No Cry"
• "Redemption Song"
• "I Shot The Sheriff"

Marley's death was certainly tragic. However, the reggae legend felt a personal conviction and chose to live by his beliefs. While his passing was preventable, Marley handled his health challenges with dignity and grace.

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