Nearly two months after Ace Frehley passed away at the age of 75, Gene Simmons reflects on the “bad decisions” that led to his former KISS bandmate’s death.
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During a recent interview with the New York Post, Simmons spoke about Frehley’s refusal to let others help him.
“He refused [advice] from people that cared about him – including yours truly – to try to change his lifestyle,” Simmons stated. “In and out of bad decisions. Falling down the stairs — I’m not a doctor — doesn’t kill you.”
He then pointed out, “There may have been other issues, and it breaks my heart.”
Simmons also pointed out that the “saddest thing” is “you reap what you shall sow.”
The rock music legend went on to reflect on attending his late bandmate’s funeral.
“It was just heartbreaking,” he pointed out.
Simmons previously told PEOPLE that the KISS bandmates struggled to intervene with Frehley.
“Let’s just continue doing the tour because you want to get through it for selfish reasons because it’s working, and the chicks, and the money, and you don’t want to ruin anything,” he said. “Meantime, somebody who might be your brother is ruining their life by bad decisions.”
Ace Frehley Passed Away From Blunt Force Trauma From a Fall at His Home
In a statement on Oct. 16, Frehley’s family confirmed the tragic news about his passing. His death occurred following a fall at his home. The accident led to a brain bleed that killed him in a matter of days.
“We are completely devastated and heartbroken,” his family wrote. “In his last moments, we were fortunate enough to have been able to surround him with loving, caring, peaceful words, thoughts, prayers, and intentions as he left this earth.”
His family further shared, “We cherish all of his finest memories, his laughter, and celebrate his strengths and kindness that he bestowed upon others. The magnitude of his passing is of epic proportions and beyond comprehension. Reflecting on all of his incredible life achievements, Ace’s memory will continue to live on forever.”
Following the news that Ace Frehley had died, his KISS bandmates Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley paid tribute.
“We are devastated by the passing of Ace Frehley,” Simmons and Stanley shared in a joint statement. “He was an essential and irreplaceable rock soldier during some of the most formative foundational chapters of the band and its history.”
“He is and will always be a part of KISS’s legacy,” they added.
The bandmates also sent condolences to Frehley’s estranged wife Jeanette Trerotola, his daughter Monique Frehley, and “all those who loved him, including our fans around the world.”