Meles was born in Adwa, Tigray in Northern Ethiopia, to an Ethiopian father from Adwa, Ethiopia, and a mother from Adi Quala, Eritrea. Meles Zenawi was married to Azeb Mesfin and was the father of three children. Meles died on August 20, 2012 in a hospital in Brussels, Belgium after having a brain tumor removed. Zenawi's health was in question for weeks until his death. Meles was admitted to hospital in July 2012. He was 57 years old.