Speaking out. Melissa Etheridge’s daughter, Bailey, opened up about her late brother Beckett’s sudden death at 21.
Bailey, 23, took to Instagram on Wednesday, May 13, to share a statement along with several photos of the pair over the years. She led the post with a black-and-white snap of the duo and their 13-year-old twin siblings Johnnie and Miller.
“I don’t know what to say,” she began. “Today we lost my brother. Too heartbroken and overwhelmed to be eloquent but appreciate all those who have reached out. I love you Beckett. Fly high and watch over us.”
The “Come to My Window” singer, 58, announced Beckett’s death via Twitter on Wednesday. Etheridge revealed that her eldest son’s passing came after he succumbed to his opioid addiction.
“Today, I joined the hundreds of thousands of families who have lost loved ones to opioid addiction,” her statement read. “My son Beckett, who was just 21, struggled to overcome his addiction and finally succumbed to it today. He will be missed by those who loved him, his family and friends.”
The Grammy winner continued, “My heart is broken. We struggle with what else we could have done to save him and in the end we know he is out of pain now. I will sing again, soon. It has always healed me.”
Etheridge had been performing at-home concerts ahead of Beckett’s death. Before releasing her official statement on the matter, her team posted a tweet that indicated that “there will not be a Concerts From Home show today” due to the tragedy.
Etheridge welcomed Bailey and Beckett with her former partner Julie Cypher before they called it quits in 2000. The exes conceived both children via artificial insemination after musician David Crosby donated his sperm.
In the wake of Beckett’s death, the 78-year-old former Byrds rocker responded to a tweet from a troll who alleged that he “played no part” in Beckett’s life after his sperm donation. “Not true,” he replied.
Etheridge also shares twins Johnnie and Miller with ex-wife Tammy Lynn Michaels. The “I Want to Come Over” singer has been married to Linda Wallem since 2014.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
