Does anyone know if Gaston Leroux actually said the phantom existed on his deathbed?

This is what I would like to investigate. Do you know who was at his bedside when he died?

I've heard this rumor too, but I don't think there's anything to substantiate it. If Leroux possibly did base Erik on someone it most likely wouldn't be all of his characteristics. Like it could have been someone he knew or knew of that was very talented and maybe somewhat eccentric, or he could have combined two people like Joseph Marick aka the elephant man and the aforementioned example.