"My mom took him into the emergency room [Thursday]," he told E! News. "He had complained about his leg hurting him, he thought it might be a blood clot because it had bruised pretty badly and he never hurt his leg.
"He was the most talented singer, loyal friend and genuine person you could meet. I miss him so much. It's crazy we were laughing together the day before."
It is with a heavy heart and inconsolable sadness that we confirm the passing of our friend Michael Johns. No other details will b avail at
Johns bowed out of the competition in 2008 in eighth place, leaving David Cook and David Archuleta to battle it out in the grand final.
A number of contestants from the seasons have expressed their condolences to the singer and his family, including show host Ryan Seacrest, who tweeted the following:
Sad news for the idol family...one of our own @Michael_Johns passed away. A consistently kind guy with talent for days. We'll miss you
Despite not winning the talent competition, Johns continued to make music, releasing the album Hold Back My Heart in 2009.
Last month, he shared news that he had been busy recording new music with his fans on Twitter.
"Headed to the studio to work on new song called 'Reckless' been waiting a long time for this one," he posted.
He is the first Top 10 finalist to die in the show's 13-year history.
- Independent
