Mary Forsberg Weiland, Scott’s Weiland ex-wife, sent an open letter to the Rolling Stones Magazine confessing how the rock star’s death has affected her and the children she had with him, Noah -15- and Lucy -13-.
Scott was found dead last Thursday, Dec. 3, during a tour with his new band, The Wildabouts, in Minnesota. Officials found cocaine in his bedroom on the bus, although the cause of his death remains unknown.
With help of her two teenage children, Mary Forsberg opened up about the rock star’s addiction to drugs. She recalled when, even after the divorce, she often tried to sober him up so he could attend Noah’s talent shows and Lucy’s musicals.
“I won’t say he can rest now, or that he’s in a better place,” Scott’s former wife writes in Rolling Stone. “He belongs with his children barbecuing in the backyard and waiting for a Notre Dame game to come on. We are angry and sad about this loss, but we are most devastated that he chose to give up.”
She begs Scott’s fans not to “glorify this tragedy” talking about rock and roll and its dark side that, according to her point of view, doesn’t have to be part of the stars’ lives.
As the letter continues, Forsberg says that the children actually lost their dad years ago and that on December 3 hope was finally taken from them. She also expresses her worries about a society that supports artist’s bad behavior by purchasing their music and acclaiming his fame. She says that kind of people struggling with drug addiction should be in hospitals and spend time with their family, rather than surrounded by fans at a stage.
However, she points out that her family does recognize the 48-yeard old rock star’s incredible talent but remarks the importance of being aware that more people could end up in a similar tragedy if the society keeps supporting artists that are even unable to remember their own lyrics, while trying to give an acceptable performance under the effects of illicit substances. She confessed that, in reality, her former husband was a paranoid man who was rarely photographed with his children in 15 years of fatherhood.
Mary Weiland clarified that, instead of casting judgment, the reason why she shared those memories was because she wanted to raise awareness on an issue that affects lots of families in the United States.
Scott was not the only member of the Wildabouts with severe addiction problems. In March this year, Jeremy Brown, the guitarist, suffered from multiple drug overdose and died. It was just a day before the band launched its debut album, “Blaster”. Another member has been arrested and charged with possession of cocaine, according to officials.
Source: People