Rocket Man Falls and Returns

Perhaps if tragedy had not struck him so hard, Elton John would have been able to pull himself out of the blackness in which he found himself. However, on the night of December 8, 1980, while entering his New York City apartment building, John Lennon was murdered by Mark Chapman, a crazed fan.

Elton was incredibly close to Lennon. Elton had idolized him as a young man and then befriended him later in life. The two shared a deep passion for music and the world. Elton was the godfather to Lennon and Yoko Ono's only son, Sean. Their bond was strong. On that night, as the world sat stunned facing the tragedy of losing a talented musician like John Lennon, Elton faced life and the world without the companionship of his close friend.