Chris Cornell's Wife Believes His Death Was "Preventable"

Ever since Chris Cornell took his own life in 2017, his wife Vicky has become an advocate for drug addiction prevention and education. Last week, she attended a United Nations panel about the opioid epidemic and shared her story about Chris' struggles with drug and alcohol abuse.

“I lost my husband, my children lost their amazing father, and the world lost a bright light to an entirely preventable and treatable disease,” she said.

“Although I supported my husband in his recovery, there was so much I didn’t know,” she continued. “Since his tragic death, I have committed myself to learning about brain science… and to learning about treatment and recovery. And I just wish that I only knew then what I know now.”

She goes on to reveal that Chris had a relapse after becoming sober, admitting that his death was preventable. "I’d like to clarify that his death was not inevitable. A lot of times people will say, ‘Yes, but you couldn’t have done [anything], and you couldn’t… And I’m not talking about self-blame. But I’m saying, no, he should not have died. There were no demons that took over,” she said. "Chris had a brain disease called addiction, and he also had the unfortunate luck of having a doctor who was not properly trained or educated on addiction."

Vicky then discussed Chris' Benzodiazepine prescription and how she wished she would have known it could hurt his recovery. "I wish I understood that addiction is a lifelong, chronic illness that needs a lifelong plan," she said.

Watch the full panel below.

Photo: Getty Images