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‘X-Factor’ star Freddie Combs dead at 49

Freddie Combs, a singing minister who was a contestant during the second season of “The X-Factor,” died Sept. 10. He was 49.

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Combs’ death was confirmed by an obituary posted by a funeral home in Cocoa, Florida.

TMZ, which also reported Combs’ death, said the cause of death was kidney failure.

Combs became a fan favorite in 2012 after his rendition of Bette Midler’s 1988 song, “Wind Beneath My Wings,” Variety reported.

His story resonated with the judges and the audience. In 2009 he weighed 920 pounds and was near death, the website reported. A diet change and exercise helped him lose nearly 400 pounds by the time of his audition in Greensboro, North Carolina, according to Variety.

Combs and his wife, Kay Combs, were married in 1996, according to E! Online. They appeared in several TLC specials over the years, including 2011′s “Ton of Love” and 2012′s “Heavily Ever After,” the website reported.

Freddie Combs died 20 days shy of his 50th birthday, according to his obituary.