Elton is both a married man and a father. He and his husband, David Furnish, share two sons: Elijah, 11, and Zachary, 13. In his interview, the 77-year-old artist spoke about how their children worry about his age.

“They worry as they know how old I am. Not so much David but me. They love their Daddy so they want me to be around forever,” the pianist elaborated. He then admitted, “I don’t know how much time I have left,” but expressed his greatest hopes for the years ahead.

Uncertainty about the future motivates Elton to cherish every moment with his family, and have been vocal about it, saying, “Our time together is so wonderful and so precious.”

At the October 2024 premiere of his documentary, the star humorously discussed his health struggles. Reflecting on past surgeries, he shared, “I don’t have tonsils, adenoids, or an appendix. I don’t have a prostate. I don’t have a right hip or a left knee or a right knee.”

During a November 2024 “Good Morning America” interview, he revealed that he had permanently lost sight in his right eye due to the infection. Earlier this year, in January, he missed the Emmy Awards after undergoing knee surgery. Here is a brief summary of some of his past struggles.

Elton’s Health Scares

Elton has battled physical and mental health issues since 1975 when he attempted suicide by overdosing on Valium and falling into a swimming pool. He described the incident in his 2019 autobiography, “Me.”

In 2008, Elton canceled several US and UK performances after contracting “a serious e-coli infection” from contaminated food. Four years later, he was hospitalized following a performance at Las Vegas’ The Colosseum due to a severe respiratory infection.

At that time, he’d suffered a “serious” respiratory infection and had to be hospitalized. A physician who did tests advised him not to perform any concerts for around seven days while resting and taking antibiotic treatment to cure his respiratory infection.

In 2013, his ailments continued with him postponing his summer tour after being diagnosed with appendicitis, which required surgery in July. His next significant health challenge occurred in 2017 when he was secretly diagnosed with prostate cancer while planning his farewell tour.

Opting for prostate removal over chemotherapy, he returned to the stage in Las Vegas just ten days later.

In 2018, he canceled additional shows after developing an ear infection. A statement on his X page explained, “He will take a couple of days rest to allow the infection to clear up.”

Despite these challenges, he described himself as a “survivor,” stating, “I’ve survived a lot of things.” “Life is full of pitfalls, even when you’re sober,” he said. “I can deal with them now because I don’t have to run away and hide.”

After enduring countless challenges throughout his life, Elton reflected on what truly mattered most to him. In December 2024, he shared a deeply personal insight into how he wished to be remembered.

Summing up his life’s purpose in a single statement, he revealed the five words he wanted engraved on his gravestone: “On my gravestone, all I want it to say is ‘He was a great dad.’”

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “help” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741, or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.