Our hearts continue to go out to Chris Cornell‘s family.
In this week’s issue of People, the Soundgarden frontman’s widow Vicky Karayiannis Cornell chose to open up about the singer’s tragic passing.
Video: Chris Cornell’s Final Music Video
Dismissing rumors her husband could have been depressed, she explained:
“My Chris was happy, loving, caring and warm. This was not a depressed man├óΓé¼ΓÇ¥it wasn’t like I missed that. What I missed were the signs of addiction.”
She has no doubt it was a drug relapse that led to the events on May 18, when he was found dead of apparent suicide. Vicky shared how he was “humble, sweet, kind and good, with the patience of saint”:
“He didn’t want to die. If he was of sound mind, I know he wouldn’t have done this.”
But after a month of still trying to process his passing, she wonders if she missed any signs since his last relapse in 2009:
“I relaxed, I guess.”
It wasn’t until recently that she noticed “something was off” when his Ativan, prescribed a year ago to help with sleep, wasn’t help him get rest.
And after his Detroit show, the mom of two explained Chris was remotely turning their home lights on and off on his phone, which caused her to be alarmed and call him:
“He was on a rant. I said, ├óΓé¼╦£You need to tell me what you took,’ and he just got mean. That wasn’t my Chris.”
She followed up with a call to his bodyguard Martin Kirsten, where she learned Chris had taken twice his dosage of Ativan. Another call to her husband was left unanswered, which is when she sent Martin to check in on him.
Sadly, we all know how that ended.
While Vicky is still mourning the loss of the singer, she’s putting all her attention on helping their kids with the loss of their father.
“Addiction is a disease. That disease can take over you and has full power. I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure other children don’t have to cry like mine have cried.”
Our thoughts are with them during this incredibly difficult time.
People also spoke to Dr. Benjamin Nordstrom, the addiction psychiatrist at Phoenix House, of just how unpredictable mixing drugs can be:
├óΓé¼ΓÇ╣”It’s hard to overstate how unpredictable the effects of mixing various mind-altering substances can be. Some of these combinations, especially those that involve sedative drugs, can lead to levels of impairment that are far out of proportion to what would have happened if the drugs were taken separately. In addition, suicide is nearly impossible to predict for families and professionals alike. Anyone struggling with substance abuse should seek help.”
If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, don’t hesitate to call the National Suicide Hotline at ├óΓé¼┬¬1-800-273-8255.
[Image via Apega/WENN.]
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