Losing a child is a parent's greatest fear. It's one of the worst outcomes life could bring us. But most times, it's out of anyone's control. Illness can come in many forms, and sometimes people are suffering without anyone realizing it.
Some kids turn to drugs since they're genuinely unhappy with their lives. Others are bored and don't yet know they'll have an issue with addiction. No matter what the case is, it's a slippery slope when drugs are involved. The pain of addiction is also felt by family members. Every day, they stay up wondering if there's anything they can do to save their loved one.
Melissa Etheridge knows the pain quite well. This year, she lost her 21-year-old son, Beckett, to opioid addiction. She initially made the announcement about her tragic loss on May 13.
Opioid addiction is still one of the biggest problems we're facing in the world. The American Society of Anesthesiologists writes that, on average, 90 Americans lose their life to opioids every day.
While it can never replace her loss, Melissa Etheridge has a community of people who understand. Her situation is tragic, but unfortunately it's not that rare.
Melissa's children were born under interesting circumstances. Both Beckett and Bailey, whom she parents with her now-ex partner Julie Cypher, were born through artificial insemination. Later, it was revealed that they used the sperm of singer-songwriter David Crosby, making their story even more special.
While David didn't act the role of a father in their arrangement, he still made a point to speak out regarding Beckett's early passing. He said it wasn't true that he had no involvement in Beckett's life. In just a few words, you could tell he really wanted the best for his biological son.
Melissa, herself, used social media as a way to announce the news. "Today I joined the hundreds of thousands of families who have lost loved ones to opioid addiction. My son Beckett, who was just 21, struggled to overcome his addiction and finally succumbed to it today," she wrote on Twitter.
"He will be missed by those who loved him, his family and friends," she continued. "My heart is broken. I am grateful for those who have reached out with condolences and I feel their love and sincere grief." But she ended her statement with one of the most heartbreaking sentences of all.
"We struggle with what else we could have done to save him, and in the end we know he is out of pain now," she said. As a parent, that's heartbreaking. In a situation like this, there's often nothing you can do but hope for your child to want to change. "I will sing again, soon. It has always healed me."
Melissa has had a few partners in her life. She was with Julie for much of the '90s, and the two seemed very much in love. Bailey Jean, their daughter, was born first in 1997. Beckett was born just one year later, in 1998. After Beckett arrived, Melissa chatted with The Advocate about how parenting changes you.
For one, you lose any of the free time you once had. "We must have just piddled it away because we never knew how much spare time we had," she admitted. "There's a real strong partner vibe there. You know, maybe the wild sex all day long, all around the house, is not happening as much."
But it may have ended up being a lot of pressure. Melissa and Julie called it quits in 2000. And it doesn't look like it was an easy split. Melissa wrote in her 2002 memoir that Julie wasn't a faithful partner, according to E! News. However, they likely still worked together for their kids.
A few days after making the announcement, Melissa posted an update on how she's doing. Obviously, it'll never be easy. "Hello my friends. I just wanted to update you all. I have made myself busy by fixing up my studio here in the house," she said. "It has healed me, greatly."
"While nothing but time will heal the empty space in my heart, I have been [hopeful] watching the world rise up and ask for more love," she continued. "In a few days, I will make an announcement about the new plans to return to my music. I miss you all and am so grateful for your thoughts and well wishes."
Melissa's career hasn't been stalled for too long. She was one of the many celebrity talents who has hosted live, impromptu performances on Instagram as everyone stayed home. But this break is necessary — and surely her unfortunate loss might inspire plenty of lyrics to come.
These days, Melissa has been leaning on the support of her current wife, Linda Wallem. Linda is best known as being the creator of the series Nurse Jackie. The two started dating in 2010 and made it official in 2014.
Beckett, along with his siblings, was part of the ceremony. Hopefully, Melissa and Linda will always hold that memory dear to them. While Beckett himself had somewhat of a private life, it's important that Melissa was honest about the way he died. It proves that addiction can happen to anyone.
Opiates have proven to be incredibly dangerous and incredibly addictive when used outside of a doctor's recommendation. Even those who need them for health reasons are prone to form a dependency. If you're suffering, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends calling the addiction helpline at 1-800-662-HELP for support.
