GEORGE Michael’s family have made a mercy dash to support his distraught lover in a bedside vigil. Dad Kyriacos Panayiotou, 75, and sisters Melanie, 49, and Yioda, 53, have flown to Austria where George is fighting pneumonia. The singer’s lover Fadi Fawaz, 38, has been at his side since he was rushed in for treatment and hooked up to a £100,000 intensive care bed for lung patients last week. And the former Wham! star’s ex Kenny Goss, 51, is also set to fly out to visit the stricken singer.

A family friend said: “The family are notoriously private but they think the time has come for them all to be together to help George. “They know that if George is surrounded by their love it could give him the extra boost he needs to pull through.” The family pal said art dealer Kenny, who split from George, 48, in 2009, did not think his presence would upset his current lover. He added: “Kenny and George will always be the best of friends.” George’s agent said last week he was slowly getting better. But there are fears he may have to stay in Vienna’s AKH Hospital over Christmas and that he could lose his voice.

The hi-tech Triadyne Proventa bed George is strapped to is fitted with a ventilator that forces air in and out of his lungs. Dr Gerrit Wohlt warned: “It depends how long he spends on the ventilator. But in the worst case his illness could seriously affect his singing capacity.”

Daily Star