SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA: Smash Mouth singer Steve Harwell who died on Monday, September 4, split with his ex-fiancee Esther Campbell in 2019.
TMZ previously reported that a restraining order was issued against the rock band's former lead vocalist in May 2020 as Campbell claimed to have been mentally and verbally abused by him.
What alleged incidents led to Steve Harwell and Esther Campbell's split?
Campbell blamed Harwell's alleged abusive behavior on his struggles with substance abuse.
The ex-frontman allegedly stole and ruined his ex-fiance's phone, as per court documents.
She also accused Harwell of stealing her car keys to keep her vehicle's windows open in the rain.
Campbell described him as "vindictive, angry, vile, and mean," the documents stated, reported The Sun.
Who is Steve Harwell's ex-wife Michelle Laroque?
The 'All Star' singer was previously married to a woman named Michelle Laroque. However, it remains unclear whether the duo were together.
In 2021, Hollywood Life reported that Harwell and Laroque appeared to have divorced after their marriage in the early 2000s.
Harwell remained private about his personal life and there is little public information on his marriage.
How did Steve Harwell die?
Harwell, who rose to popularity in the music industry in the 1990s and 2000s, died at the age of 56 at his home in Boise, Idaho.
The singer's manager Robert Hayes confirmed his death in a statement where he stated that Harwell "passed peacefully and comfortably" at his home "surrounded by friends and family."
On Sunday, September 9, TMZ reported that the singer was in hospice care and was on his "deathbed."
However, an official cause of death has not been revealed.
The musician, who suffered liver failure, struggled with alcoholism and his manager stated that Harwell only had days left to live.
Speaking to People, Hayes said, "Before his demise, Steve rested at home and was being cared for by his fiancee and hospice care."
As the performer's liver disease progressed, his family and friends visited him while he was being treated.
"Even though Steve has not been with Smash Mouth for two years now, and the band continues to tour with new vocalist Zach Goode, his legacy will live on through the music," stated Hayes.
Were Steve Harwell's medical issues the reason behind his retirement from Smash Mouth?
Harwell was caught on camera during an incident at the Big Sip beer fest in Bethel, New York, where he slurred his words, threatened the crowd, and gave a Nazi salute to the audience in 2021.
Following the incident, he announced his retirement from the band of which he was a part since its beginning in 1994.
"I’ve tried so hard to power through my physical and mental health issues and to play in front of you one last time, but I just wasn’t able to," Harwell said at the time.
A representative for Smash Mouth then issued a statement mentioning that the incident that led to Harwell's departure from the band was related to his "long-term medical issues” and added that he had "suffered numerous symptoms directly linked with his current medical situation."
Harwell previously dealt with a tragic personal tragedy when his only child Presley Scott Harwell died in 2021. His son died at the age of six months from acute lymphocytic leukemia.
