Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge said her “heart is broken” after her 21-year-old son died following a battle with drug addiction.
The star said Beckett Cypher, one of her two children with former partner Julie Cypher, had struggled with opioid abuse and died on Wednesday.
His death was announced on Twitter and Etheridge has now released a statement.
— Melissa Etheridge (@metheridge) May 14, 2020
She said: “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. He will be missed by those who loved him, his family and friends.
“My heart is broken. I am grateful for those who have reached out with condolences and I feel their love and sincere grief.
“We struggle with what else we could have done to save him, and in the end we know he is out of the pain now.”
Etheridge added: “I will sing again, soon. It has always healed me.”
The 58-year-old is best-known for the songs Black Velvet, Ain’t It Heavy and Come To My Window.
She and Cypher also have a daughter, Bailey, and the couple split in 2000.
Both children were conceived using artificial insemination and the sperm donor was later revealed to be singer David Crosby.
Crosby, 78, retweeted a tribute to Beckett. Etheridge and Crosby discussed their arrangement during a 2000 TV interview.
“I do not believe that my children will be wanting in any way because they didn’t have a father in the home every single day,” Etheridge said.
“What they have in the home is two loving parents. I think that puts them ahead of the game.”