- Music
- 29 Jun 17
In her first interview since Chris Cornell's death back in May, the widow of the Soundgarden and Audioslave frontman has insisted that her husband was not depressed before he took his own life.
Vicky Cornell still maintains that prescription drugs were behind her husband's unexpected suicide and insists that "He didn’t want to die."
Her husband was taking the anti-anxiety medication Ativan and one of its rare side effects is suicidal thoughts.
Vicky Cornell told People magazine: "If he was of sound mind, I know he wouldn’t have done this."
She has revealed how on the night of her late husband's death he had remotely - from a hotel room in Detroit - used an app to switch on and off the lights in their LA home. "That was a sign something was off," she said.
She then spoke on the phone to Chris who was "ranting" and "mean" and she told him: "You need to tell me what you took."
Chris Cornell was a recovering addict and it's believed that he had relapsed at the time of his death. Vicky added in the interview: "Addiction is a disease. That disease can take over you and has full power." Vicky also said that she will "do everything in my power to make sure other children don't have to cry like mine have cried."
Shortly after his tragic death, Vicky Cornell penned an emotional tribute to her late husband, describing him as her "soulmate". Vicky wrote how she would always be "sorry" that he was all alone on his final night alive.
In the poignant letter, Vicky Cornell admitted that she was "broken" on the inside following his suicide, but vowed to remain strong to "take care of our beautiful babies".
She also touchingly has this to say about the late singer she describes as her soulmate: "It has been said that paths that have crossed will cross again, and I know that you will come find me, and I will be here waiting."
And in what appears to be a reference to his past well-document drug addictions, Vicky writes: "You had always said I saved you, that you wouldn't be alive if it were not for me."
Vicky had made it known last week that she doesn't believe her late husband intentionally took his own life last week. She goes on to say in the letter how she is "sorry" that she was not there with him that night.
"...and I'm sorry, my sweet love, that I did not see what happened to you that night. I'm sorry you were alone, and I know that was not you, my sweet Christopher. Your children know that too, so you can rest in peace," she writes.
But what comes across the loudest in the touching letter that Vicky writes is clearly how much she truly loved (and still loves) her late husband Chris. She ends it with these moving words, "I love you more than anyone has ever loved anyone in the history of loving and more than anyone ever will."
Here's her emotional tribute issued via 'Billboard' in full:
"To My Sweet Christopher,
"You were the best father, husband and son-in-law. Your patience, empathy and love always showed through.
"You had always said I saved you, that you wouldn't be alive if it were not for me. My heart gleamed to see you happy, living and motivated. Excited for life. Doing everything you could to give back. We had the time of our lives in the last decade and I'm sorry, my sweet love, that I did not see what happened to you that night. I'm sorry you were alone, and I know that was not you, my sweet Christopher. Your children know that too, so you can rest in peace.
"I’m broken, but I will stand up for you and I will take care of our beautiful babies. I will think of you every minute of every day and I will fight for you. You were right when you said we are soulmates. It has been said that paths that have crossed will cross again, and I know that you will come find me, and I will be here waiting.
"I love you more than anyone has ever loved anyone in the history of loving and more than anyone ever will.
"Always and forever,
"Your Vicky."