Famed Irish radio host Gerry Ryan, who died of a suspected heart attack that shocked the Irish nation, was "in meltdown, deeply distraught and agonizing over profound personal worries, which at times he seemed unable to contain in private," a shocking new report reveals.

According to the Irish Independent, Ryan’s behavior towards the end of his life had "become erratic and aggressive ... There were impassioned phone calls and unexplained disappearances. He had been acting strangely, using foul language, and drawing attention to himself."

The newspaper claims that Gerry Ryan was in "grave financial difficulties" caused by "his obsessive need to feed his extravagant habit: a daily binge on expensive wines, vintage whiskey and rich food."

One friend told the newspaper after meeting him the night before he died that he was shocked by his appearance.
 
"Gerry was always so well-groomed and suave. I had to look twice to make sure it was him. The shirt was hanging out loose over the trousers and he looked bedraggled and disheveled.

"He was pacing up and down, up and down, incessantly outside the hotel, near the car park. He seemed to be doing all the talking. It was around five in the evening, early still. He just didn't look well at all.

Fellow broadcaster Marian Finucane said Ryan  "really, very, very stressed," in the days before his passing.

"He was stressed about RTE. He was stressed about other things outside in his life and I know that when people try to figure out what happened ... I have heard a number of people mention that stress might have been what caused difficulties."

The newspaper says the exact cause of Gerry Ryan's death remains unknown pending the results of toxicology tests.