Johnny Mathis put on a brave face after a fire gutted his Hollywood Hills home—but friends fear the devastating heartbreak could put him in the grave!
The 80-year-old “Chances Are” and “Misty” singer said he was “lucky” to be out when the blaze destroyed the mansion where he’s lived for 56 years.
“I could have been here,” he said, while surveying the sad remains of his mansion.
“I could have been in bed.”
Still, few of the art and showbiz treasures he’s collected over his 60-year career — with 350 million albums sold — could be saved.
“The Lifetime Achievement Award he was given by the Academy of Recording Arts several years ago is believed to be one of the many things that went up in smoke,” said a source.
An insider added: “Chances are he’ll never recover from this tragedy. Johnny’s single and has lived alone since the ‘60s.
“Now it’s all gone and even his huge wealth can’t replace it. This is an emotional killer for a man his age.”
Despite his many love songs and countless female fans, Mathis has made it no secret that he’s gay — and admits he’s lived a lonely life.
“I’ve had relationships, but none that has stayed the distance,” he says.
He also admitted getting hooked on drugs when his overworked voice gave out.
“The guy who owned the Copacabana in New York sent me to a doctor who gave me vitamin shots laced with amphetamines,” he recalled.
“I ended up with a drug addiction.”
Now the lonely star is homeless.
The house fire sparked about 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 2 and soon turned into a raging inferno that took 41 firemen to douse.
Despite the pain of his loss, a pal of Mathis said, “Johnny is fortunate.
"If he’d been in the house when the blaze ignited, we would probably be writing his obituary!”
