Chris Daughtry got real about the loss of two very important people in his life.
It’s been a difficult time for the 42-year-old singer. Shortly after saying goodbye to his mom Sandra, who died of cancer in November, his 25-year-old stepdaughter Hannah Price died by suicide just a few days later. Heartbreaking. And during an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show on Thursday, the 42-year-old singer opened up about how he’s feeling after their deaths – including the “guilt” that continues to consume him. He shared with host Kelly Clarkson:
“It was right before the tour I lost my mom to cancer, and then exactly one week later lost my daughter to suicide. I dealt with both differently, processed both losses very differently – the hardest thing, the common denominator in both is the guilt. The ‘I wish I would have said this. I wish I would’ve done this. I wish I would’ve called more.’”
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Like so many others who have had to mourn the sudden loss of a loved one, Chris expressed how hard it is to deal with so much “guilt” while still grieving:
“Those moments of guilt are the hardest because you can’t do anything about it. There’s always going to be reminders of what you could’ve done or whatever, and I tend to beat myself up a lot over it. But it’s been a very healing time in our house, and we dealt with it in a very healthy way.”
The American Idol alum went on to share that his family honored his stepdaughter’s wishes by having a “natural burial,” noting that his other children participated in the service:
“We all had shovels, and we all got to cover the basket. And seeing my kids do that and seeing them process, it was a very heavy magical … It’s hard to explain but seeing them process that and be a part of it … it’s incredible. It was very healing to be a part of that and see them be a part of that and have everyone there be a part of it. It’s not just sitting on the outside. Everyone was involved. And it was very healing.”
As you may recall, Hannah was found dead in her home in Fentress County, Tennessee by her boyfriend. Chris and his wife Deanna Daughtry later revealed to People in a statement that their child died by suicide while under the influence of narcotics, saying at the time:
“Our beloved daughter Hannah Price passed away on November 12th, 2021. Much speculation has been made since that date, and after a full investigation by law enforcement we are now able to speak in further detail.”
While there was speculation her death was being investigated as a homicide, the couple quickly shut that down. They noted that Hannah struggled with her mental health since she was young and “was in and out of therapy and treatment centers” over the years, adding:
“As Hannah got older, she struggled to find her footing and began using drugs and often found herself in abusive relationships. Just months after losing her biological father to suicide, Hannah was the victim of a crime and was shot in the face. We did everything we could to support her and get her the help she needed to recover from these tragedies and get her life back on track. We had just recently made plans with Hannah for her to seek further treatment and move closer to the family.”
Losing a child is such a hard experience, and it must have been painful for him to reflect on these two tragic losses in his life. So we’re sending him and Deanna so much light as they continue to grieve. You can watch his interview with Kelly (below):
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741, or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
[Image via The Kelly Clarkson Show/YouTube, Chris Daughtry/Instagram]
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